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General Discussion & Feedback => Just Chat! => Topic started by: RD on 15/04/2014 20:02:17

Title: I've heard of an "ant mill" , but can you get an aerial "bee mill" ?
Post by: RD on 15/04/2014 20:02:17
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F&hash=3cd4f4119996b42d10f5ed9eb0e8d712) [ Invalid Attachment ]

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/photos/mysterious-black-circle-sighted-sky-over-leamington-spa-235722421.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant_mill
Title: Re: I've heard of an "ant mill" , but can you get an aerial "bee mill" ?
Post by: David Cooper on 15/04/2014 21:43:01
I saw a photo earlier and wondered if it could be starlings making a loop, but the photo you've linked to is clearer and doesn't fit. Bees would be a much more interesting explanation.
Title: Re: I've heard of an "ant mill" , but can you get an aerial "bee mill" ?
Post by: RD on 16/04/2014 01:23:23
At first glance I thought it was a smoke ring, e.g.

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenakedscientists.com%2Fforum%2Findex.php%3Faction%3Ddlattach%3Btopic%3D25277.0%3Battach%3D9709%3Bimage&hash=6eb571a3081d4e4be447dcde224da05e)

but the Leamington-spa black-circle is too thin compared with it's diameter to be a toroidal-vortex (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toroidal_vortex) in air.

If it is bees then it's a vicious-circle in more ways than one  [:)]
Title: Re: I've heard of an "ant mill" , but can you get an aerial "bee mill" ?
Post by: David Cooper on 16/04/2014 18:43:45
My first thought was that it was a photo taken near Mt. Etna which blows smoke rings, but then there was no sign of the volcano.