Are the lemon ants the ones that people eat? I was reading something somewhere about people who eat ants that taste like citrus.

I would never eat an insect intentionally, but I guess whatever floats your boat.

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TKE:TT:118

Not as far as I know. They're native to the US, but probably elsewhere too. They're only 4 millimeters long at most, so I doubt they'd make much of a snack, but I could be wrong. There are a wide variety of ants that are eaten by people though. Honeypot ants are a nutritious and tasty delicasy for the Aborigines, for example

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"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." - John Benfield

And you can buy chocolate covered ants in some stores.

Mental picture of Amy crawling around on hands and knees sniffing ant hills!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Hey, Merlin, I crawl around in the garden a lot!

Actually, though, the smell of these ants, when I dig up their nests, is so strong I can smell if from 5 feet away. They smell great!

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Amy

New mental picture of Amy using captured ants as air fresheners...maybe a jar of ants in the bathroom?

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"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." - John Benfield

Awesome pics Matt!

Sounds like an excellent way to use that ant farm! Thanks for the idea, Matt!

If only I still had kids young enough for potty-training! (well, not really something I wish for) "Visiting the ants" would be a great excuse to get them to practice. And what a cool new euphemism for going to the loo: "I need to visit the ants..." (as opposed to the old "need to see a man about a horse")

And Merlin, sorry about the typo. I do know that you aren't a large, ocean-going fish.

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Amy

lol, I might start using that at work They'll look at me weird...so basically nothing will change.

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"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." - John Benfield

My mom has a friend who is an ornothologist. Is that right? Anyway, they study birds for a living. I sent along the photo of the robin with the white mask and this is what he had to say:

Partial albinism is not uncommon among birds. Some gene abnormality may have occurred as this clearly doesn't fit the normal recessive trait
concept.

My favorite was a starling with a white head. Observed through a telescope it looked like a miniature bald eagle. I could see how the black feathers of its head were distinct from the black body feathers at the point where they joined.

Here are a couple of excerpts from Terres Encyclopedia of NA Birds:

"Albinism results from a genetic change that inhibits the formation of an enzyme (tyrosinase) responsible for the synthesis of pigment (melanin)."

Partial albinism "is often symmetrical."

"The sudden appearance of white feathers in some birds that are normally dark may be caused by shock. In 1844, a British ornithologist described a captive male blackbird which, after being severely frightened by a cat, molted and became pure white."

Now you are as well informed as I am.

Regards,
Gerry

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Sweet, thanks for the info! I learn something new every day

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"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." - John Benfield