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Every get these suckers run through your patch. There cool but not when they hit there plants. There called dirt devils around here. On a bright sunny day thats usually hot with a slight breeze you get a sudden swirl of wind, when this wind hits grass clippings or dirt, suddenly the dirt swirls up in the air depending on the size or the dirt devil. Some are 3ft some are 100ft. They look like mini tornadoes and some are capable of lifting haybails and toss them in a field. Wind just gusts around at maybe 50 km/h but you can't see it unless there is stuff swirling in it like dirt. Anyways I came to my patch and saw a small one wipp right through some of my plants and caused damage (twisted vines, torn leaves). Does anyone know what these things are or how they work?

6/22/2005 10:40:08 PM

addison Il

i saw a video once of kids jumping into them and getting picked up along with the hay and materials it looked fun lol i think it was on discovery channel except unlike tornadoes there safe and seemed at least on the video to last only moments and once they moved on the kids and adults that were jumping into it chased it to do it again sorry no help on the info dept lol

6/23/2005 12:53:10 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF2/227.html

6/23/2005 8:13:11 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Kyle, I would think they are fairly common occurrence in the marsh. Large open areas such as the drained Holland Marsh are good areas for the these benine funnels.

6/23/2005 8:28:59 AM

Cologne / Germany

Jumping into them is not recommended. We had children being injured while doing this last week on a field nearby. They look funny and harmless but sometimes they are not, it might take you off the ground and throw you down pretty hard later.

6/23/2005 9:01:45 AM

addison Il

im sorry for my post i meant safe as in not tornado destroction and there no good in your patch

6/23/2005 6:42:46 PM