Why are flies swarming an oil rig in the North Sea? : Short Wave : NPR
✍️ Berly Mccoy Regina G. Barber Rachel Carlson Rebecca Ramirez Ailsa Chang, Regina G. Barber, Rachel Carlson, Rebecca Ramirez, Ailsa Chang, Berly Mccoy📅 October 03, 2025 12:00 AM🕐 Scraped: October 03, 2025
Summary: In the North Sea — between the United Kingdom, Norway and Denmark — thousands of flies swarmed an oil rig. Engineer Craig Hannah noticed they’d stay still on the rig for hours, suddenly taking off all at once. He was seeing hoverflies. Often confused with bees, they’re unsung pollinators. And they migrate, often hundreds of miles – including, it seems, to the middle of the ocean. Today on the show: The mystery of why these insects are landing in the open ocean. Plus, a surprising finding in the Amazon rainforest and the sounds of life in a coral reef. Interested in more science behind skincare products? Email us your question at [email protected] to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
Why thousands of flies are on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean
