Re: Can bugs tell the weather?

    Insect tell the weather?  Insects are cold blooded animals.  As such, 
they are greatly affected by weather.   However, they tend to be more reactive 
than predictive.  They tend to take advantage of good weather as much as they 
can.  Cold weather slows them down or kills them. In some it triggers responses 
in their bodies to release antifreeze type chemicals into their blood to keep 
them alive through hard freezes.   Warm weather brings them out and they become 
more active. They have life cycles that are influenced by the weather as well.  
Particular temperatures for certain lengths of time set body processes in 
motion.  The amount of daylight also  influences the development through the 
life cycle of the insect.  These processes are determined by the DNA of the 
particular insect. Some folks say that woolly bear caterpillars have wider bands 
before a hard winter, but I have never really see that proven.  
    Ants seem to sense impeding rains and winged reproductive males and 
female take flight in large numbers, just before the rain comes down.  Crickets 
also can sense the change of weather coming and some species start to sing, 
others take to flight  in order search for mates, again before just before a 
rain storm. If the earth is too dry, it will draw moisture from the 
eggs and they will desiccate.  So , it is best to lay eggs that will remain 
moist and the young can hatch out to eat new plant shoots. 
Repeated droughts for several years will create changes in some grasshoppers 
that will allow them to change physically and behaviorly, so that they can leave 
the environment. 

Check out the Discovery video!
Nightmare Grasshoppers http://w
ww.exn.ca/inc/demo.asp?Video=exn20010913-grasshopper.asx

So...yes they can tell the weather and predict it in the near future.  They can 
also change through time through several generations to prepare for different 
eather.  However, they react to the changes, more than they anticipate it.  As 
for having special senses, not really.  Most insects are already pretty 
specialized for their environment, so the usual senses like their 
eyes, antennae and pressure changes in their bodies are what they will use.