On the whole, insects do not fly in wet weather, says entomologist Richard Jones. Instead, they find a roost and sit tight until the deluge is over.
However, research on mosquitoes using high-speed video footage shows that, as they head for shelter, they can survive being hit by raindrops many times bigger and heavier than themselves - the equivalent of humans being struck by cars.
The phenomenon - which probably applies to all tiny flying insects - has been described as "boxing with giant balloons".
The drops do not burst on hitting an individual, but knock it aside, a result of water surface tension and the water-repellent nature of the insect cuticle.
Occasionally, a large raindrop will completely surround or adhere to an insect, dragging it down. Provided the bug is flying high enough, it will usually break free before impact.
Nonetheless, heavy showers are a danger to flying insects.
I once witnessed a mass emergence of flying ants in Normandy, just before that sultry August afternoon gave rise to a spectacular thunderstorm over the Channel.
Next day, the sandy beaches of Trouville-sur-Mer were strewn with long, black strandlines of dead insects, mostly comprising (according to my calculations) several billion drowned ants.
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