High Altitude Insects

[Freightdog75]

Flew into dupage today. Coming westbound over the pond about 35-40 miles out, at only 5,000, I hit one heII of a bug.

1.) Why would a bug be cruising out over the middle of Lake Michigan?

2.)Why is it cruising along at 5000 ft.?

I was gonna ask the bug, but he didn't fair out to well in the collision.

FD75

 

[TopGun-MAV]

some areas of the country can support insects at that altitude. in florida we see the regualrly in the flight levels due to the moist air and unstable atmosphere. many of these insects are simply lifted to those extreme altitudes from convective means.

just my 2 cents

 

[AAsRedHeadedbro]

Funny you mention Florida...

We were descending out of 16,000' one morning going into Orlando and hit a huge bug. I have no idea what it was but it startled the he11 out of the both of us - sounded like a rock coming through the windshield. It left a splater about 4 inches around right smack dab in the middle of my windshield.

Funny thing was - the sky was perfectly clear with no clouds anywhere and it was just a few hours after daybreak. He must've peddled awfully hard to get THAT high. Poor guy. All that work for nothing.