Insects add to the Beach volleyball buzz

By Jane Barrett

BEIJING (Reuters) - Olympic volunteers have been trained to do all sorts of tasks during the Beijing Games but they probably did not expect to have to catch insects.

While Germany's two beach volleyball teams were practicing in the Chaoyang stadium on Wednesday, they were suddenly divebombed by one of the huge flying insects that buzz incessantly around the area.

"What is that?" Stephanie Pohl screamed, clutching her head as the other three players recoiled from the cicada that plopped down on the brightly-lit sand.

Quick as lightning, one of the volunteers on the pitch jumped up and cupped the insect in his hands, only for it to buzz -- and the girls scream -- all the louder.

He passed it on to another volunteer who promptly stuffed it down her friend's shirt. More used to Beijing's fauna than the athletes, he shrugged, laughed and shook it out.

(Reporting by Jane Barrett)

(editing by Jon Bramley)

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