Insects’ carnal urges curbed by storms on the horizon, says new research

LONDON, Ont. – Birds do it. Bees do it. But when a storm’s brewing, some bugs put a stop to it.

That’s the story about bug love, says a new study by researchers from the University of Western Ontario and some colleagues in Brazil.

Researchers tested the effects of changing atmospheric conditions on the mating behaviour of three different insects — the curcurbit beetle, the true armyworm moth and the potato aphid.

Western’s Jeremy McNeil says all three bugs curbed their carnal urges when air pressure dropped, indicating rain was on its way.

McNeil says the results might indicate the bugs opt for safety over sex, and he says he’d like to do further study to find out if that changes as they get older and whether they might be more willing to take risks for a sexual reward.

The study is published in the latest issue of the journal “PLOS ONE.”