When dinosaurs thundered across the land, a giant, cicada-like bug called Palaeontinidae flew in the sky and fed on tree sap. But something disturbed its peaceful existence — and triggered the evolution of wings that could dart it away quickly, according to a new paper out this week.
These giant bugs were big, fat, and slightly hairy, living an idyllic life munching on the sticky substance inside woody trees, plants that had only just arrived on the global scene. Palaeontinidae couldn’t make a big noise like modern cicadas. But they were large, with a wingspan half a foot across. Despite their spooky size, something triggered these massive insects to adapt.
