The mysterious bush popcorn of Madikwe

This is a guest post by Neil Steedman from Jaci's Lodges in Madikwe Game Reserve. The original posted appeared here

The mysterious bush popcorn of Madikwe

by Neil Steedman – 22 October 2010

The Tamboti tree, bearer of "bush popcorn" seeds

October brings with it many new smells and delights.  The bush is just starting to turn a vibrant green and plants are dotted with a rainbow of flowers.

But for us at Jaci’s, this time of year also brings a rather strange yet familiar phenomenon … bush popcorn! It all begins with a strange popping noise, which, unless you know where to look, is incredibly hard to identify.

Jaci’s Lodges lie on the banks of the Groot Marico River, in a dense and lush forest of Tamboti trees. Those familiar with these trees know never to burn this particular wood, as it gives off fairly potent toxic smoke that could make you pretty ill. However, it’s not the wood of the Tamboti that we’re interested in, it's the seeds.

The seed of the indigenous Tamboti tree

To ensure survival of the species, trees need to ensure that their seeds have the opportunity to germinate as far away from the parent tree as possible. Many rely on animals and birds consuming the seeds and dispersing them in their dung, but not this particular tree – the Tamboti relies on a moth!

The knot-thorn moth (Emporia melanobasis)lays its eggs inside the seeds of the Tamboti tree. When the hot months of October and November roll around, the fun starts.

As soon as the seeds start warming in the sun, the larvae inside straightens itself out, causing the seed to “jump”, making a popping sound as it does. The more a seed jumps, the further it hops from the parent tree.

So if you one day happen to visit Madikwe during October, don’t get a fright if you hear something clicking and jumping in the bush – it’s just our bush popcorn!

You can read Neil's previous post "Would you really want to see a kill?" 

Read more about Madikwe Reserve and other unique properties on The Game Lodge Index