Natty gnats looking for love–and using me to help them find it!

The gnats are swarming! I swallowed two of them this week on two different morning walks as they flew around (and into) my head. Apparently, I breathe through my mouth when I get a little out of breath. I couldn’t get a good photo of the gnats–but here’s a 10-second video:

Why do gnats fly in large groups?

After encountering many clouds of gnats this week I wondered why they fly in big swarms. The answer: the male gnats band together in order to attract females to mate with. They’re easier to spot when there’s a whole cloud of them. A lone gnat doesn’t have much chance of getting lucky. (You can read more about gnats here if you’re interested)

Why do they fly around our heads?

I looked this up and found a couple of different ideas. They like to go somewhere where they show up against the background–so the girl gnats can find them better. When I see them on my morning walks, they tend to gather in spots of dappled sunlight. And they do seem to glow. So one theory holds that they fly around us because we make them look good. They also go to the highest place–for the same reason? I read that if you hold your arm above your head, they’ll fly around your arm instead. I even read that someone puts a stick on top of their hat to get the gnats to move up. I don’t think I’ll be testing that one out.

I also learned that our sweat and tears attract gnats–that’s why they sometimes fly into our eyes. I always wear glasses or sunglasses when I walk, so I avoid that. Sweet scents like shampoo or skin products also attract them. I don’t really use a lot of scented products, but maybe they have enough scent to attract gnats–or maybe I’m just sweet-smelling or stinky enough to attract them.

Gnats and Poetry Friday

I like to think about what I’m going to write while I’m out on my morning walk. And since today is Poetry Friday, as I batted and swallowed (only one today) gnats, I decided I may as well write a poem about them, too. Especially once I learned that they were just using me to attract mates. Well, two can play at that game–not that I’m using gnats to attract a mate, but I can use them to inspire a poem.

This week, Linda (my almost neighbor down in Denver) is hosting Poetry Friday. Be sure to check out her post about Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z, by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini–which will be released early next year.

I’ve written about bugs before. Surprisingly often, as a matter of fact. I wrote a few bug-kus about ladybugs, slugs, and Japanese beetles.

The gnat poem–

Enough nattering on. It’s time for:

Natty Swinging, Swarming Singles

I never liked the singles scene,

I prefer seeing to being seen.

But here I go into the crowd

Shrinking back as they swarm around.

It could be the sparkle in my eye

Or the way my hips swish as I glide.

But no, they buzz around my head

“You make us look good,” is what they said.

“You smell so good we want to dance

And you provide a backdrop for sweet romance

“Please let us buzz around your hat”

Now I’m the wingman for a gnat.

That’s enough silliness for now.

Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo