The Chironomids Part II: Millions of Midges

Male adult midge, Sungei Buloh;
(Photo by Marcus)

Then the Lord said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the river and say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies; even the ground will be covered with them. But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.'" And the Lord did this. Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh's palace and into the houses of his officials; throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies.

- Exodus 8: 20-24

Midge swarm, Utah;
(Photo by AMICHAELMURRAY)

In the previous post, I discussed some aspects of the biology and ecology of the Chironomidae, also known as non-biting midges. I briefly mentioned the tendency of many midge species to form huge swarms, which can have negative effects on human communities in the vicinity. This post will look at one such swarming event in Singapore.

Workers dump pails of dirty brown industrial oil down drain in Bedok

These two workers were dumping used industrial oil into this drain in Bedok, instead of disposing of it properly.

In an email today (Apr 2) a concerned STOMPer wrote:

"This was spotted at Block 3014 Bedok Industrial Park E, at the loading bay.

"I know it's oil because I saw them pushing out the trolley with it. The first trip had three big pails. The second trip I filmed with my phone camera.

"The oil is dark-coloured like used oil. They were wearing their company uniforms at the time.

"Is this correct ? I don't think so."

Do check out the video posted on STOMP.

Bedok Industrial Park E is situated quite close to a stretch of Sungei Bedok, which empties out into the sea at East Coast Park. I certainly hope that some follow-up action can be taken, and punitive measures meted out. It seems far too many people still fail to realise how improper disposal of trash and waste products can profoundly affect the security of our water supply.

Bedok bird population to be curbed, says East Coast TC

In response to STOMPer Carpet Bomber's feedback about the many birds that have caused problems in Bedok, East Coast Town Council has replied that the bird population will be controlled through ways like the pruning of trees in the area.

In a response dated March 11, East Coast TC said:

"East Coast Town Council has taken steps to curb the population of the birds.

"1. We have instructed our cleaning contractor for the food centre at Block 85, Bedok North Street 4, to step up the cleaning efforts during peak hours.

"2. Our horticultural contractor has pruned some of the trees around the area.

"3. We have also informed the other agencies involved about this issue. i.e Land Transport Authority and National Environment Agency. Working together, we hope to provide our residents with a safe and clean living environment."

Related post: Out-of-control birds invade Bedok and leave a mess (2nd March 2010)

Out-of-control birds invade Bedok and leave a mess

STOMPer Carpet Bomber is fed up with the bird population which the STOMPer claims has invaded the market area about Block 85 Bedok.

According to the STOMPer, nothing has been done, even after complaints to the East Coast Town Council.

"I have been living in Bedok for almost a decade, and the bird population is seriously getting out of control.

"They invade the block 85 market, the coffeeshops nearby, pavements, playgrounds, and the HDB area.

"No one cleans the faeces off the pavement.

"There is always the bird waste smell around the neighbourhood, presumably due to the birds.

"I have complained to East Coast Town Council also no use.

"Everyday from 5am - 7am and 5pm - 7pm, there will be a mass gathering of birds and faeces bombardment.

"The birds also pick on food left on table, floor. You name it, they'll eat it. Bedok 85 Market is the worse. They linger on top of stalls. Do their business inside the stalls and tables.

"They are always eyeing your food till you leave.

"The residents here pay conservancy charges every month but it does not seem to be put to good use.

"I really hope that with this posting, this annoying problem will be highlighted and some action will be taken."

Related article: Shocked by pigeon culling? Then stop feeding them (28th February 2010)

I personally adopt a live and let live attitude where it comes to coexisting with birds, even the non-native species such as house crows (Corvus splendens), Javan myna (Acridotheres javanicus) or feral pigeon (Columba livia), but I probably would also be at my wits' end if faced with a similar situation.


House crow;
(Photo by [ benny ])


Javan myna;
(Photo by mjmyap)

Note that some of the problems cited in the post are exacerbated by human behaviours. Giving the birds opportunities to scavenge at food outlets does in a way contribute to the problem. And I would not be surprised if some well-meaning individuals actually deliberately feed the birds.


(Photo by StarvingFox)

Finding an optimal solution is not easy, and might drive the birds away only for them to become a problem again elsewhere. Culling is only a short-term solution, and does not do anything about the factors that enable the bird population to explode in the first place. Exclusion devices can work, but are not feasible everywhere. In order to achieve long term results, it may be best to adopt a variety of measures, that not only control the bird population, but restrict the birds' ability to access feeding, roosting and nesting sites. Public education and changing human behaviour and attitudes are often integral parts of the solution.


Feral pigeon;
(Photo by chauromano)

Culling is never a final solution, since it not only frees up resources for the survivors, enabling them to breed at a faster rate, but it also allows birds to just fly in from surrounding areas to take replace those that have been killed.


(Photo by xtemujin)

I'm not against culling as a control measure, but it should never be the only strategy adopted against controlling animals we perceive to be pests. Far better to adopt mitigating measures that will prevent the birds from undergoing a population boom in the first place, and where possible, non-lethal options should also be explored.

207 -- number of mozzies we killed over the weekend!

STOMPer Janice and her husband have killed 207 mosquitoes over the weekend at their Bedok Central home.

Said the STOMPer:

"207...this is the number of mosquitoes that my husband and I killed over the weekend while at home!

"Looking at them makes you itchy.

"The authorities seriously need to do something about the mosquito breeding in the area."

TC: Beehive in Bedok has been exterminated

East Coast Town Council says they have activated a pest control contractor to exterminate the beehive in front of Geylang United Football Club.

In an earlier post dated Aug 3, STOMPer wrote in to warn passers-by to beware of a huge beehive that was hanging precariously from a tree at Bedok North Avenue 3.

In an email to STOMP today, a spokesperson from East Coast Town Council says:

"Following the feedback via Stomp posted on Aug 3, 2009, the Town Council activated the pest control contractor and they have exterminated the beehive found on the tree in front of Geylang United Football Club on the same day."

Related article:
Beware of the big beehive at Bedok North Ave 3!

Related posts: Bee invasion in Tampines Avenue 1 (3rd August 2009)
Beware of the big beehive at Bedok North Ave 3! (3rd August 2009)
"It only took 12 hours for these bees to infest my house toilet" (24th April 2009)
Bees, bees and more bees at Clementi! (6th April 2009)
Several beehives in overhead bridge leading to SGH (16th February 2009)

Beware of the big beehive at Bedok North Ave 3!

STOMPer Sim warns passers-by to beware of this huge beehive that is hanging precariously from a tree at Bedok North Avenue 3.

He says:

"A big beehive was found on a tree in front of Geylang United Football Club at Bedok North Ave 3.

"The beehive looks as if it is going to fall any moment.

"It is situated near the pedestrian walkway and that is quite dangerous.

"So passers-by, please beware of this beehive."

Related posts: "It only took 12 hours for these bees to infest my house toilet" (24th April 2009)
Bees, bees and more bees at Clementi! (6th April 2009)
Several beehives in overhead bridge leading to SGH (16th February 2009)

As mentioned in an older post about the bees and wasps of Singapore:

Singapore is home to 3 species of honeybee; the smallest and least aggressive species is the black dwarf honeybee (Apis andreniformis). The Asiatic honeybee (Apis cerana) is a close relative of the western honeybee (Apis mellifera) that forms the bulk of the global beekeeping industry. The third species, the giant honeybee (Apis dorsata), is the largest and most aggressive of our local honeybees.

The 3 honeybee species found in Singapore.
Left: Black dwarf honeybee (Apis andreniformis);
Middle: Asiatic honeybee(Apis cerana);
Right: Giant honeybee (Apis dorsata);
(Photo of Asiatic honeybee by budak, photos of black dwarf honeybee and giant honeybee are taken from vespa-bicolor.net)

Looking again at the photo in the original submission, I believe that the beehive in the photo might be a nest of the giant honeybee. This is one of the largest honeybees in the world, with workers measuring on average close to 20 millimetres in length.


Punggol;
(Photo by federickho)

The giant honeybee is particularly interesting in terms of its ecology and behaviour. This is a very aggressive species that has never been domesticated, but nonetheless has been exploited for centuries for its honey. There are tribes and societies in some countries that still have a tradition of harvesting honey from the hives of this species, often at great risk of injury or death; not only are these bees highly aggressive and willing to sting, but they tend to build their nests at great heights.


Gathering honey from hive of giant honeybee in Sunderbans, Bangladesh;
(Photo by jeromejin)

Unlike other honeybee species, which build their nests in holes and crevices, the giant honeybee nests in the open; hives usually consist of a single large honeycomb attached to a tree branch or under a cliff overhang, or sometimes on the ceiling or wall of a building.


Thailand;
(Photo by Sean Hoyland)


Malaysia;
(Photo by Stephen L. Buchmann and Gary P. Nabhan)


India;
(Photo by Bruce G. Marcot)

The nest is typically covered by a dense mass of bees.


India;
(Photo by Bksimonb)

The giant honeybee has a very interesting defense mechanism to ward off predators. Of course, it is always possible for the bees to defend their nests by swarming all over intruders and stinging them, but it is best used as a last resort; honeybee stingers have barbs, which prevent the bee from withdrawing its stinger properly. After stinging, the stinger and the associated venom gland are literally torn out of the bee's abdomen as it flies or crawls away. And so, honeybees are able to sting only once, and die shortly after. Instead of sacrificing precious workers unnecessarily each time an animal approaches the nest, the giant honeybee has evolved a unique display to warn intruders away.

Here's the legendary Sir David Attenborough to tell you more.



This shimmering behaviour (often endearingly compared to the Mexican waves seen at football matches) has been shown to be effective at deterring predatory wasps. Individual bees being pursued by wasps will head straight for the safety of the nest, triggering a wave of shimmering as the predator approaches. Confronted by a mass of shimmering bees, the wasp beats a hasty retreat. This certainly is an interesting study in self-organisation and group intelligence.

Kastberger, G., Schmelzer, E. & Kranner, I. 2008. Social Waves in Giant Honeybees Repel Hornets. PLoS ONE, 3(9), 1-16.

Here are a couple of videos about this particular study:

Killing of pigeons is last resort, public also has role to play, says East Coast Town Council

Pigeon culling is used as a last resort to prevent spread of diseases, says East Coast Town Council. A new standard of procedure has also been implemented so that pigeon carcasses will now be cleared after each culling exercise.

In response to a STOMPer's concerns over pigeon poisoning exercises at Upper Changi Road, the council also says that the measure is used because residents have not refrained from feeding the pigeons despite being told not to do so.

East Coast Town Council says in an email:

"With reference to the post 'Pigeons poisoned because people won't stop feeding them', we appreciate STOMPer David's feedback.

"The culling of the pigeons is always our last resort to curb the population of the pigeons.

"We have instructed our staff and pest control contractor to be more vigilant the next time they carry out such an exercise.

"They will stay on site to remove all dead pigeons and remaining breadcrumbs immediately, after the treatment.

"We have been receiving complaints on the nuisance created by pigeons in the neighborhood for the past few months.

"Although we have advised and educated our residents not to feed pigeons, the pigeon population has increased drastically.

"Some residents even try to feed the pigeons by throwing down food from their kitchen window which makes it more difficult for us to identify the culprits.

"Pigeon droppings are known to transmit Cryptococcosis and other diseases. Humans with weaker immune system are susceptible to such infections.

"We will continue to educate our residents and work closely with the National Environment Agency (NEA) to take enforcement action against the culprits, who fail to heed our advice.

"Once again, we thank the residents for their understanding and we will continue working together for a safe and healthy environment for our Town."

Related story:
Pigeons poisoned because people won't stop feeding them

Related posts: Pigeons poisoned because people won't stop feeding them (14th July 2009)
Geylang RC member feeding birds result in unhygienic bird poo all over the place (7th June 2009)
Old woman feeds pigeons and crows illegally in park, chases student away (24th May 2009)
How unhygienic! Pigeons feast on leftover food at Bendemeer Market (12th April 2009)
Dead bird spotted in Ang Mo Kio. How did it die? (24th February)
Bird droppings everywhere because of too many pigeons (29th January 2009)
Crazy pigeon is not afraid of people and steals food from their plates (23rd January 2009)
Uncle feeds pigeons despite 'No Feeding' sign at Bencoolen Street (22nd January 2009)
Neighbour always leaves food for birds! (21st January 2009)
Dead birds found near Taman Jurong market (4th January 2009)

Pigeons poisoned because people won't stop feeding them

STOMPer David was appalled to find that pigeon poisoning exercises had been commissioned near his home in Upper Changi Road recently simply because educational efforts to prevent feeding have failed.

Such knew-jerk solutions do not solve the problem but create more problems such as accidental poisoning of pets and other animals.

The sight of dead pigeons is also unpleasant and scary for young children in the neighbourhood.

In an email, STOMPer David says:

"This morning (July 13) at 12.35pm, I came across three dead pigeons and a dying pigeon at the back of Blk 28 New Upper Changi Road.

"This property officer later confirmed that the pest controller was told to carry out the poisoning as education of the residents to refrain from feeding the pigeons have failed.

"However, I feel that poisoning the pigeons is ineffective as these recalcitrant residents will continue to throw food down.

"These real human culprits must be the ones caught and fined.

"The knee-jerk solution of poisoning the pigeons is a waste of resources and also poses danger to pet dogs which may just eat the bread crumps baited with poison.

"A few kids who saw dead pigeons and the dying pigeon were horrified!

"The property officer must have the courage and patience to explain to complainants, including the RC members, that the most effective solution is still education and catching the human culprits."

Related posts: Geylang RC member feeding birds result in unhygienic bird poo all over the place (7th June 2009)
Old woman feeds pigeons and crows illegally in park, chases student away (24th May 2009)
How unhygienic! Pigeons feast on leftover food at Bendemeer Market (12th April 2009)
Dead bird spotted in Ang Mo Kio. How did it die? (24th February)
Bird droppings everywhere because of too many pigeons (29th January 2009)
Crazy pigeon is not afraid of people and steals food from their plates (23rd January 2009)
Uncle feeds pigeons despite 'No Feeding' sign at Bencoolen Street (22nd January 2009)
Neighbour always leaves food for birds! (21st January 2009)
Dead birds found near Taman Jurong market (4th January 2009)

Do check out the video posted on STOMP.

This person does raise a very good point. This problem isn't exactly caused by the birds, which are merely responding to the fact that well-meaning people are offering them food. We can poison as many pigeons as we want, maybe even go to the extent of killing every pigeon in the neighbourhood, but it's only a short-term solution. As long as feral pigeons (Columba livia) exist somewhere in the vicinity, they're just going to keep flying in to replace those removed by poisoning. Ultimately, it is the people's behaviour which needs to be managed and controlled if this so-called pigeon 'problem' is to be resolved.