Son La: Dozens of "strange smoke columns" in rice fields

In recent days, a video has appeared on social media livestreaming in a rice field near the Chieng Khuong Border Gate in Muong Hung Commune, Son La Province. The clip recorded dozens of swirling columns like columns of smoke rising from the rice field, about 1-2m to tens of meters high. Many people initially thought it was a column of water, even comparing it to miniature tornadoes.

Observing carefully at the scene, the livestreamer confirmed that it was not steam or smoke but rather spiral columns of insects with thousands of them each, moving in circles like "dancing" from the field to the sky.

The clip attracted more than 14,000 likes and thousands of shares after being posted. Mixed comments appeared densely, some Facebook accounts were concerned that this was a spiritual omen, a mysterious phenomenon or a sign of an epidemic, an earthquake or an impending tornado...

On the contrary, many people assert that this is a normal phenomenon in the countryside, especially in the morning or afternoon in rice fields. Depending on the locality, this insect is considered a gnat, a gnat, an eye gnat or a moth, with a small shape similar to a butterfly or mosquito. However, some people believe that the image in the clip is rare and that mosquitoes and small eye gnats usually just fly around the rice stalks and do not form such a vortex.

Speaking to SGGP reporters, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hien, Head of the Department of Insects and Nematodes at the Institute of Plant Protection ( Ministry of Agriculture and Environment ), said that she personally has not had the opportunity to directly study the phenomenon, so she cannot draw a definite conclusion. To accurately determine the species of insects and the cause of the formation of vortex columns, it is necessary to collect (catch) samples and send them to the laboratory for analysis and classification, avoiding subjective speculation through clips. However, from previously recorded cases, this phenomenon may be related to swarming behavior combined with favorable environmental factors. There are harmful insects but also beneficial ones. If they are harmful insects, their dense appearance will negatively impact production.

On the contrary, if a beneficial or neutral species suddenly appears, it could be a warning sign of environmental change. It is also possible that this is a periodic phenomenon, belonging to the group of "wonderful mysteries" of the insect world. In the case of the field near the Chieng Khuong border gate, the number of insects is thicker than other places, which could be due to the special environmental conditions here that are suitable for insects to gather.

Some insect and pest experts believe that the images in the clip may be the phenomenon of “swarming” (mating) of small mosquitoes or gnats. Males often gather in a fixed spot, flying in a spiral to attract females, and are most active in the early morning or cool afternoon when the air is humid and the wind is light.

Some rice planthopper species also have similar behavior, and dense presence can be a warning sign of a potential pest outbreak.

Entomologists say this phenomenon depends on the reproductive cycle and weather conditions, so it does not appear every day. If it is a pest, it will only appear locally and is not a cause for concern.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/son-la-hang-chuc-cot-khoi-la-tren-ruong-lua-post808156.html