Nighttime Swarm of Flatid Bugs Triggers Tiny Fist Fights in Madagascar Forest

In such tough times, there are battles for territory in the most unexpected places. As night falls in the Beaab forest, an extraordinary crowd emerges. They're baby flatted bugs. By day they're barely visible, but at night they swarm over the trees and start to feed. They drink sap and each settles itself into a spot on the branch. But even at this miniature level, there's a battle for resources. And here and there, fist fights break out. This curious spat has never been observed before. For the most part, however, they feed quietly. And as they feed, they excrete unwanted liquid called honeydew. It coats the branches and remaining leaves.

And this is very attractive to other insects that are out and about at night. And that in turn provides a feast for mouse lemurs. At around 60 g, mouse lemurs are the world's smallest primates. These are all males. The females are fast asleep in tree holes and have been for months. They can sleep right through the dry season and they'll only emerge when the rains come. It's a way of saving energy. So, for now, the males are on their own, feeding on anything that will take them through the lean times and waiting for the day that the females awake.