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Thanks for the reminder IB. My source states that soldier termites create this sound by rapidly taping their jaws on the ground, which is part of the head, so you are absolutely correct. Thanks for answering.

As for the answer to the current question:

Swarming migratory locusts have a solitary phase in which they look like grey-green grasshoppers. Once these solitary grasshoppers start meeting up with a certain amount of members of their own species in a day, their development changes to a second genetic programme.

Wings grow larger. bodies more slender with a change in colour, leading to a complete change in their behaviour.

They now change their solitary behaviour to increasing swarms of hoppers (nymphs) and eventually fly away in swarms of adults.

You are IT!

Thanks Imberbe

What similar behaviour do night flying insects have in common with dung beetles in relation to navigation?

YAYYYYY, Siobain is back on the quizzes!!! And, well done, yet again, Siobain!

I also have read that it is the need for food that causes grasshoppers to congregate and ultimately form swarming locusts.

Thank you OWN!

Yes, you are correct, the need for food also plays a part.

There is a long and a short answer ... I'll keep it rather short.

Night time active dung beetles use the light of the moon to navigate by, just as most other night time insects. But they do not only use the direct light, also the polarised light, which is invisible to us as humans.

So the moon becomes their beacon to steer by, and also provides enough light to enable them to see what is in their way, and avoid collisions.

Now put on a bright human light, and the poor beetles and other insects become disorientated. They might even think it has become day time, and go in to their day time activity of resting. Which is why you see so many insects sitting around humans light sources.

Imberbe!

Which is the most ancient species of insect found in South Africa which are still alive today?

Nice question!! I have so many answers jumping into my head I will have to think carefully about this

I will go with jumping bristletails (Order: Archaeognatha). They can be dated back to the Devonian , 409 million years ago, around about the time when the very first insects appeared. They have also retained much the same body plan and features as their ancestors?

That is older than the ones I had in mind. So accepting that your details are correct, and without time now to check, I will make you IT!

Oddesy! Glad to have you around again!

BTW, IB, what insect DID you have in mind ... for interest's sake?

'All quiet on the Western front' so I will throw one in here.

After a Dung Beetle has formed a dung ball, he climbs on top and then it looks like if he is dancing on the ball before starting to roll it away. Why it the reason for doing this?