When diaphanous winged white ants swarmed the SuperSport Park at Centurion, it induced an interruption and received added to the weird causes for stopping the bat-ball sport.
However the swarming ‘white ants’ or ‘flying ants’ are actually extremely developed flying African subterranean termites, and what the cricket world witnessed was the formation of latest colonies, with the king, queen, winged reproductives and soldier ants, all inflicting a tiny annoyance and delay to the human sport of cricket.
The deepest details about flying ants, is expectedly, accessible with pest-control corporations of Guateng province the place they routinely swarm.
What introduced flying ants to the cricket?
The floodlights in fact. However the prevalence was ‘swarming’ – when the termites fly into the air to create new colonies. After swarming, their wings drop off and so they pair as much as mate with the hope of beginning a brand new colony underneath the soil, in keeping with Servicemaster.co.za. At properties in Guateng, they’re vacuumed out by pest management professionals. “These bugs are gathered at first of the wet season in West, Central, and South Africa after they usually swarm,” writes the weblog
Hillsofafrica.com.
The place had been the flying ants chilling earlier than they ran headlong into Indian fielders affecting visibility?
Servicemaster.co.za quotes entomologists, explaining how this species has superior intelligence – as “phenomenal engineers. Mounds are constructed with cooling air vents completely positioned to ventilate a colony of bugs which may simply encompass 250 000 people or a number of million. Vents are opened or shut in keeping with wind path and firmly plugged nicely earlier than the onset of heavy rains. The queen will dwell as much as 30 years and employees common a 5 12 months lifespan.”
What are flying ants colonies like?
“Termites have a strict caste system, which consists of employee termites, troopers, winged termites or reproductive, a queen termite, and a king termite,” the pest management website says. “The commonest sort of termites in Gauteng is the “flying termite” or “winged reproductive”. These winged termites are new kings and queens making an attempt to ascertain a brand new colony. These are generally seen flying round of their 1000’s after and through summer time rains,” the pest management information says. The roles supply upward Mobility as colony constructing season approaches.
Can they hurt or chew people attempting to play cricket?
No, they aren’t actually serious about biting people. Nevertheless, in keeping with the Hillsofafrica.com weblog, winged termites themselves are a priceless supply of protein and fats. Actually, the termites are a significantly increased supply of protein than their equal weight in rump steak. “Termites are collected after they take flight throughout migration. Totally different communities have completely different strategies of accumulating and generally cultivating termites. The queen is slightly more durable to accumulate, however is extensively considered a real delicacy. Historically, they’re a much-anticipated deal with at first of the wet season as a result of the brand new crops haven’t but produced meals, the livestock is lean, and the provides from the earlier season are operating low.”
The recipe goes thus: “Sometimes, the termites are washed and ready by eradicating the wings. Subsequent they’re added to a pan and lined with a small quantity of boiling water. They’re cooked till the water is evaporated after which butter, ghee, or oil is added to the pan and the termites are fried for a couple of minutes. Then, they’re able to eat.”
