Entomologist?

Okay I should probably ask Dr Karl this and he will undoubtedly refer me on to an entomologist, but I thought I’d chuck it up here first. 

Why do insects fly out where we sit waiting for waves?

I’m guessing this is the same the world over, I know it’s the case in all the places I’ve ever surfed and that’s a fair few around the globe. It doesn’t really matter what insects, butterflies, beetles and heaps that I couldn’t even tell you the name of but still have six legs and wings. Some end up sitting on that ‘hard to get your head around’ layer of tension on top of the sea and some just whizz past in the breeze. But what are they doing out there? 

Insects inherently know where to look for food so it’s not that. And I’m pretty sure they can differentiate between liquid and solid so they’re not looking for real estate, but they’re out there. Just the other day I spotted some sort of beetle suspended on the surface looking like it was struggling to take off. There was a wave coming and I ignored the plight of the beetle and paddled for the wave, it rolled right on by underneath me so as I swivelled to paddle back to my position I looked for the beetle. It was still there, its carapace spread and its wings fluttering. I scooped my hand under it and lifted it from the water where it began to climb to the top of the nearest digit, my thumb. I sat looking at it and confess I asked it out loud what it was up to in such an alien environment. Fucker ignored me, but, another wave was coming and it was perfect so I told the beetle (yeah, yeah I’m a soft touch) he needed to sort his shit out and take off.  Leaving just enough time to spin and paddle, I flicked my hand up and he took off. I like stuff like that. And not only that, but the wave was a cracker too. Karma?  

I have some theories, and forgive me if you’re one of my surfing buddies and you dreamt one of these up, I’ll shout you a wave. 

The first is that they are getting a hit of negative ions. I will gladly admit that until a few seconds ago I was convinced that the ocean and moving water in general, releases positive ions, but it’s the other way around! The negative ones give you the positive vibes! TV’s, aircon units etc, they’re the baddies chucking out positive ions. So, our six legged friends are dosing up on good air. Updrafts from rolling waves were introduced into this theory, but the conclusion was they can get updrafts on land too. That they like Ozone (O3) is part of this theory too. Don’t know where, and believe me I’ve tried to find out, but I heard that that detergent kinda smell that you sometimes get when you’re surrounded by white water, especially in the tropics or very clean water areas, is actually O3 being released in the sea spray. I found this SEA-SALT AEROSOLS and it mentions ozone but shit I ain’t no chemist so perhaps some brainiac could help (see p25).  

Second was that they are just getting some respite. Laird knows most insects have it pretty tough. There’s a reason they’ve got such big eyes and so many of them. They’re tasty. Frogs, lizards, birds, spiders, sticky paper, rolled up newspapers, car windscreens; their possible cause of death is multitudinous! So they hang out over the ocean for a while in the knowledge that most birds with a penchant for bugs will stay over dry land. There ain’t no hungry mammals that fancy them and they can just chill and shoot the breeze both metaphorically and literally.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say it keeps me awake at night, but I lead a pretty simple life and quandaries like this seem to be taking up more and more of my time, so, help a brother out will you, indulge me and let your mind wander and wonder. Any thoughts?