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Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Claims that the Israeli occupation has withdrawn from areas in the neighborhoods of al-Zaytoun, al-Tuffah, and al-Shujaiya are false
Hamas: The two delegations stressed that any negotiations must lead to the achievement of our people's goals and aspirations, foremost among which is ending the war and the complete withdrawal of enemy forces
Hamas: A delegation from the Hamas leadership, led by the head of the leadership council, Mohammad Darwish, met with an Islamic Jihad delegation, headed by its Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah

Winged bugs invade New York after wildfire smog

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News Websites
  • 1 Jul 2023 20:26
2 Min Read

Gnat-like insects have been spotted all over the city following wildfire smog from Canada, alarming New Yorkers.

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  • Winged bugs invade New York after wildfire smog
    The Statue of Liberty as photographed from the Staten Island Ferry on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in New York. (AP)

An invasion of small flying bugs is the latest omen that some New Yorkers are taking as a herald of the end times, three weeks after suffocating smoke from Canadian wildfires engulfed the city.

Beginning on Wednesday, New Yorkers have reported small insects moving in cloud-like swarms across sections of Manhattan and Brooklyn, making it difficult to breathe in some situations.

Read more: 25,000 flee wildfires in western Canada

Because of their small size, it's difficult to distinguish if the insects are white or green. Their species is unknown, but they have come alongside another, lighter, outbreak of Canadian smoke.

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Some suggest that they are pyrophilous, or "fire-loving," species, which include plants, fungi, and animals that benefit from fire. Pyrophilous insects include at least 25 families of insects from the orders Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera.

One of them, Microsania imperfecta, has been found to respond positively to a smoke stimulus for mating and resources. According to the Encyclopedia of Entomology, “Smoke appears to affect mating behavior, serving as a mating swarm marker. Higher populations occurred during winter than in summer."

Others believe the insects are not pyrophilous but rather evidence of a healthy environment.

According to Louis Sorkin, a visiting scientist in the section of invertebrate zoology at the American Museum of Natural History, based on the images he was provided, these insects were not pyrophilous. In an e-mail, Sorkin explained that these are "aphids not gnats/midges/flies,” however, he was not able to confirm his finding.

According to David Grimaldi, curator and entomologist at the American Museum of Natural History, the bugs trapped in people's hair are aphids, which are normally wingless but can transform into winged forms when populations get congested and food quality diminishes.

“When a population becomes very large … the emergence of winged morphs is impressive,” he explained.  “The good news? It means we have a healthy environment! No pesticides!”

 

  • Canada
  • Canada wildfires
  • New York

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