[NatureNS] Martinique Beach/whale carcass/eagles

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From: Randy Lauff <randy.lauff@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 2010 17:00:28 -0400
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The "ant hill" approach to cleaning bones does not work here; I don't know
if it works anywhere (is it urban myth?). Maybe there are some ants
elsewhere that are scavengers...I've done a LOT of work with carrion in the
wild here and rarely find ants anywhere on the carcass. Those that I do find
are travelling...not feeding. Flies (think CSI) are the dominant insect
group at carcasses, followed by beetles.

Does anyone know of a case in which ants have really scavenged a carcass?
I'm not asking if you've put a carcass on an anthill and it got cleaned (did
ants do it?), but have ants actually been seen feeding on a carcass? You
will get ants on the carcass at an anthill - a bunch of upset ants that are
trying to figure out how to haul the critter away!

The jawbone in the photos looks relatively clean already - the flesh on
whale lower jaws comes off surprisingly easily. The biggest cleaning job
that this bone would need would be inside the bone itself - the bone is
tubular, and the inside is filled with blood vessels, nerve and other goo.
If someone did get the bone for a highschool class, I recommend suspending
it in a tree with the front end up - let the goo drip out (this may take
some time). Obviously, don't use the tree in your front yard...the back yard
is much more discreet ;).

Morbidly yours,
Randy


 Knowing the where abouts of an ant hill would be nice (to clean it up); of
> course a beetle tank would be better.
>
>
RF Lauff
Way in the boonies of
Antigonish County, NS.

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The &quot;ant hill&quot; approach to cleaning bones does not work here; I d=
on&#39;t know if it works anywhere (is it urban myth?). Maybe there are som=
e ants elsewhere that are scavengers...I&#39;ve done a LOT of work with car=
rion in the wild here and rarely find ants anywhere on the carcass. Those t=
hat I do find are travelling...not feeding. Flies (think CSI) are the domin=
ant insect group at carcasses, followed by beetles.<br>

<br>Does anyone know of a case in which ants have really scavenged a carcas=
s? I&#39;m not asking if you&#39;ve put a carcass on an anthill and it got =
cleaned (did ants do it?), but have ants actually been seen feeding on a ca=
rcass? You will get ants on the carcass at an anthill - a bunch of upset an=
ts that are trying to figure out how to haul the critter away!<br>

<br>The jawbone in the photos looks relatively clean already - the flesh on=
 whale lower jaws comes off surprisingly easily. The biggest cleaning job t=
hat this bone would need would be inside the bone itself - the bone is tubu=
lar, and the inside is filled with blood vessels, nerve and other goo. If s=
omeone did get the bone for a highschool class, I recommend suspending it i=
n a tree with the front end up - let the goo drip out (this may take some t=
ime). Obviously, don&#39;t use the tree in your front yard...the back yard =
is much more discreet ;).<br>

<br>Morbidly yours,<br>Randy<br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><br><blockqu=
ote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204=
); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><div bgcolor=3D"#ffffff">=
<div>

<font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">
<div>Knowing the where abouts of an=A0ant hill would be nice (to clean it=
=20
up); of course a beetle tank would be better. </div></font><br></div></div>=
</blockquote></div><br>RF Lauff<br>Way in the boonies of<br>Antigonish Coun=
ty, NS.<br>

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