Chimp & See Talk

Elephants and insects

  • Boleyn by Boleyn moderator

    In many videos, e.g. in this one ACP000dla0 I noticed that elephants are often accompanied by huge swarms of insects. I couldn't see this with other animals. Is this something "elephant specific"?

    The ele in this clip has a big bright something sticking out of the backside of the left foreleg. Any idea what it could be?

    Thanks!!

    Posted

  • Snorticus by Snorticus in response to Boleyn's comment.

    When I'm walking in the forest I know that I kick up a lot of insects fleeing from my large apex-predator body clomping on all the vegetation 😉

    Posted

  • NuriaM by NuriaM scientist, moderator in response to Boleyn's comment.

    Elephants have external parasites (ectoparasites) like lice, ticks, several types of fleas, flies and mosquitoes. But this is not elephant exclusive.

    This bright something could be a leaf? it moves like a leaf at least...no idea, sorry 😕

    Posted

  • Boleyn by Boleyn moderator

    Yes, I think the bright thing might be a leaf but I'm talking about that swarm of insects that is down in the hole and towards the end there's also one following the ele in the upper part of the clip. Actually I think there's a second elephant on the lower level which has its "own" swarm.

    I'll post another video as soon as I'm finding one to explain things better. It's a bit tricky 😛
    Thanks!!

    Posted

  • Boleyn by Boleyn moderator

    Hi Nuria, I had this video for classification ACP000d3sw and was sure there must be an elephant around because of the many insects. At the very end you can see something very big at the right side. It is an ele. It is the last clip in the minute but the first one proves it is an elephant ACP000d3sq

    The next video in this minute ACP000d3ss shows part of the elephant and then it's literally raining insects also in ACP000d3su. So I'm still wondering why they are accompanied by such huge clouds of insects (moscitos?). In other night videos we see the occasional moth or other insects but never so many at once.

    Posted

  • NuriaM by NuriaM scientist, moderator in response to Boleyn's comment.

    Heidi, I´m not sure, but could it be that there is water in the videos that you mention? The lower parts of the ele´s legs look wet (seen in ACP000d3sq )

    This could explain why we see so many mosquitoes... 😕

    Posted

  • Boleyn by Boleyn moderator in response to NuriaM's comment.

    That might be possible. I'll keep looking out for more videos like this. Thanks for the tip!

    Posted

  • Boleyn by Boleyn moderator

    Here's another video with an ele and swarms of insects. ACP000d3l0

    There is probably also water here, at least it looks a bit swampy at the ground.

    Posted

  • NuriaM by NuriaM scientist, moderator

    yes, there must be water...his/her legs are very wet.

    I was thinking...hmmm, s/he is very calm, I´m sure something is coming (poo or a beautiful leg scratching moment, or whatever). Then I saw ACP000d3l3 . Turn up the volume 😄

    Posted

  • Boleyn by Boleyn moderator in response to NuriaM's comment.

    LOL, your favorite noise! 😄

    Posted

  • Boleyn by Boleyn moderator

    @HeikeW commented on the insects in ACP000drmy
    This was exactly what I meant with "huge swarms of insects". I don't think that water is very close to this place?

    First the elephant...

    enter image description here

    ...and then the insects:

    enter image description here

    Posted

  • NuriaM by NuriaM scientist, moderator in response to Boleyn's comment.

    wow! awesome...

    the insects don´t seem to be associated to the elephant, but the elephant walks through the insect cloud:

    see ACP000drn0 :

    enter image description here enter image description here enter image description here

    Posted

  • Boleyn by Boleyn moderator

    Thanks Nuria, but are you sure that they are not associated? Because whenever I see such a swarm there's always an elephant nearby. I can't remember seeing swarms without eles around and thus I think the insects must be somehow attracted by elephants. Does this sound weird?

    Posted

  • NuriaM by NuriaM scientist, moderator in response to Boleyn's comment.

    not at all! it doesn´t sound weird.

    Elephants have associated ectoparasites, but in this particular case, I think the elephant just happens to walk through the insect cloud 😕

    Posted