First heavy rain in Rwanda. Went on like this for about an hour.

Update: Glad this has elicited some strong reactions! I though it was super cool when I saw it. I always knew it was a termite nest, but I didn't know they had a flying life stage. A few points to clear up some common themes in the responses:

1. Almost every modern structure in Kigali is masonry. Certainly any elements with ground contact. I am not worried about attacking structures.
2. I wouldn't assume these ones attack wood. Unless there is a big buried log in the yard there, there's unlikely to be wood down there. I doubt there is because this neighborhood was farms for decades before being developed, so unlikely there is much woody biomass down there.
3. These termite nests are everywhere in Rwanda, even in the city of Kigali. There's probably one of them in every other yard. They are ubiquitous. Exterminating one will have zero effect on the population.
4. This is a rental so I don't really care what the landlord does with the garden. I think the nest looks cool.
5. Usually there is nothing going on in the nest. Once in a while the little workers climb up and reconfigure the vent a bit and go back down. When they are up and working, birds like to perch on the edge of the vent and just chow down.
6. The hole goes very deep. I cannot see the bottom.
7. The gardener used to knock it down periodically, but they would rebuild it within a matter of days.
8. I don't think flamethrowers can be easily procured in Rwanda, nor would be particularly effective given that termites thrive in flame-dominated woodland ecosystems in Africa.

Video credited to @markel_herps on Instagram.

Credits - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DemKmyphamB/

Filmed this around 8pm from behind my back fence.

These look like western diamond backs to me. It's supposedly breeding season, and these two had been going at it for a good 45 minutes. Eventually they entwined under the bush and went still for about 5 minutes, before eventually untangling. They then went their separate ways.

Credit: u/Quiet_Attempt_2340

I encountered this mola mola (ocean sunfish) while diving off Port Hardy, British Columbia earlier this week. Such a bizarre and fascinating fish to see underwater!

I managed to get some close-up footage of it swimming, including a good look at some of the parasites attached to its body. Ocean sunfish are known for hosting an incredible variety of parasites, and seeing them up close was almost as interesting as the fish itself.

And despite their awkward-looking swimming style, they're surprisingly fast when they want to be!

More of my original underwater footage: https://www.youtube.com/@scubabc6701

Image credit: wild_explore_masinagudi.@Instagram

📸 Anatole Tuzlak

Spotted in Lincolnshire, merrily doing its thing outside my remote cabin.

Couldn't believe my eyes!

Source: @natgeomagarab on TikTok

Something about watching snow fall under the streetlights makes it magical,

This is not my video, found it amazing so thought I’d share it here.

I know what is most likely going on in this situation but if someone who’s not a slug expert but to walk up on this situation was very concerning but also intriguing, like for one y’all are dangling suspended from like a mucus web and then for two that’s just unsettling to see those little translucent appendages just come out out of nowhere. Nature is so full of surprises.