NEW PAPER: Ever wondered why insects fly in all sorts of crazy patterns around lights at night? So did we! We set about recording flying insects to work out what's going on. I'll summarise what we found in this 🧵. Spoiler: We don't think they confuse lights with the moon.

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Free webinar with @samueltfabian about aerial pursuit and combat in insect flight. #entomology @BritEntSoc @RoyEntSoc @NBNTrust @Buzz_dont_tweet @amentsoc @FieldStudiesC @imperialcollege @BDSdragonflies https://t.co/oMfIgZAM4q

A young male Trithemis aurora after the rain. Staying dry is important to many flying insects, as even a few water droplets can greatly increase their mass.

This Ricania sp. (probably marginalis) is a type of planthopper. These intricately ornamented wings are relatively unusual. Not only do they make for striking signals on the ground, but they make for extremely erratic, evasive flight.

This is Pogonostoma funebris, a robberfly from Taiwan. As with many robberflies, the lenses of their eyes are larger in the frontal portion. This is due to diffraction limits on visual resolution. This large-lens area acts as a high-resolution acute zone like our own fovea.

The remarkable wings of Ryothemis fuliginosa, the butterfly dragonfly. While most of the time they look a dark black, they shimmer with iridescence when viewed from above. Males display this iridescence to eachother when fighting.

This (I think?) is Papirioides jacobsoni, quite the weirdest little springtail! Complete with a fluffy plume. I'd love to know what its for. Potentially I would guess sensory, for air currents or weak electrical fields. Bonus points for the stripey trousers.

No this isn't some special butterfly charm. Many insects like these old duffer butterflies will chase any moving patch of contrast in the hope it's a female (or to chase it out of their territory). Even if it's a bright white polystyrene ball on a stick! 🦋

One of the more unusual couplings (triplings?) I've seen. Yes all three are boys, the females aren't red at all. Happy pride month I guess? 🌈

Now this is really odd. This tiny fly only translates, but never rotates. He travels as fast forwards as backwards and swaps instantly. He almost looks like he's sliding around on ice. Just bizarre! Pls ignore the ant. Or don't, up to you.

This Microstylum oberthurii robber fly has just the most incredible wings. At about 4 cm long, this is one of the largest robbers I've ever seen. And a fine ginger beard as well, what an incredible insect!

I've wanted to see one of these for years. Mantispids are glorious, especially in banana yellow.

Look at those feet! This might look like a leptogaster robberfly, or Ammophila wasp, but it's neither. This is actually a beefly in the genus Systropus. Absolutely wild, I had never even heard of them.

https://t.co/JlDMCGQa6d

This loooooong fly is a Leptogastrini robberfly. We have some in the UK, but nowhere near this big (~3 cm for this Taiwan specimen). Unlike other Leptogastrini are gleaners, mostly snatching stationary prey rather than catching flying targets.

My favourite little dipteran aliens. I can't get enough of stalk eyed flies!

The very handsomest beetle I've ever seen. Anomala? Leaf chafer from Taipei, Taiwan.

Large red damselflies are out in force, busy making the next generation. Seen here is how a male's abdominal tip clasps onto the female's neck, allowing them to fly and manoeuvre in tandem.

Thanks to @Lycomorpha for illustrating this gorgeous piece in @sciam on our latest work on why #insects end up trapped around light pollution:

My chef skills have inexplicably improved all of a sudden