[NatureNS] re tasty red ants vs. anting by birds

From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com>
To: NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <BD8C8599-26BE-4571-BD39-9022CDAF09AE@xplornet.com>
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2015 07:31:10 -0300
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Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

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Hi Jamie & All,                                JUNE 28, 2015
    I think it was well established some 50 years ago that anting, which =
may involve few or many ants, and with many variations,  is largely for =
removal of external pests. If your flesh is crawling with lice, mites, =
ticks or some other vermin then a few (or many) ant bites is a small =
price to pay  for removal of the greater discomfort > bliss.=20
    American Indians (I avoid the politically correct First Nation =
People because, in addition to being awkward and historically =
inaccurate, it suggests that there is something wrong with being an =
Indian) used ants to remove lice etc. from their fur or fabric bedding . =
They just scattered an ant hill and put the bedding over the disturbed =
ants.
    It is also possible, although I don't recall having heard this, that =
birds sometimes seek ant bites so that other kinds of discomfort are =
diminished. In this vein, I was interested to read recently that some  =
Stone Age  (literally then but probably cell phone age now) Natives of =
Australian New Guinea (National Geographic 135(4): 568-592, 1969) rub =
Stinging Nettles over their nearly naked bodies when they become tired =
or in pain (p 581 & 590) and this eases the initial pain or this gives =
them a second wind.

Yt, Dave Webster Kentville
   =20

  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Shouty McShoutsalot=20
  To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2015 6:23 PM
  Subject: Re: [NatureNS] re tasty red ants vs. anting by birds


  Jim=20


  This guy was not in a state of bliss.  He was in the anting position =
and clearly getting bit for his efforts.  Which is understandable as the =
ants would have been defending the nest.  If the Raven was getting =
formic acid based benefit he was paying the price.

     =20


  Regards


  Jamie Simpson


  On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 4:07 PM Jim Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca> =
wrote:

    =E2=80=9CAnting=E2=80=9D has nothing to do with eating ants, rather =
it=E2=80=99s letting the ants do their thing in the feathers and skin of =
the birds.  Anting birds look like they are basking, with wings & tail =
spread out and overall demeanor like the bird or birds is/are on a =
=E2=80=9Chigh=E2=80=9D, enjoying the experience (too anthropomorphic?).  =
Cheers from Jim =E2=80=94 see the link for anting given in a previous =
message.=20


    P.S. to =E2=80=9CAt=E2=80=9D et al., I think we all should be =
identifying ourselves on this list, so that we don=E2=80=99t get like =
most social media.  I am not suggesting rules on this, but wanting to =
see names at end of messages.



    Begin forwarded message:


      From: At <hamst@xplornet.com>

      Subject: [NatureNS] Ants

      Date: June 28, 2015 at 10:08:27 AM PDT

      To: Nature McEvoy <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>

      Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca



      According to a step son who used to eat them as a child the red =
ants are the best!


      Sent from my iPad



  No virus found in this message.
  Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
  Version: 2015.0.6037 / Virus Database: 4365/10113 - Release Date: =
06/28/15

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<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dutf-8" http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META name=3DGENERATOR content=3D"MSHTML 8.00.6001.23588">
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV>Hi Jamie &amp; All,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; JUNE 28, 2015</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I think it was well established some 50 years =
ago that=20
anting, which&nbsp;may involve few or many ants, and with many =
variations,=20
&nbsp;is largely for removal of external pests. If your flesh is =
crawling with=20
lice, mites,&nbsp;ticks or some other vermin then a few (or many) ant =
bites is a=20
small price to pay&nbsp; for removal of the&nbsp;greater discomfort &gt; =
bliss.=20
</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; American Indians (I avoid the politically =
correct First=20
Nation People because,&nbsp;in addition to&nbsp;being awkward and =
historically=20
inaccurate,&nbsp;it suggests that there is something wrong with being an =
Indian)=20
used ants to remove lice etc. from their fur or fabric bedding . They=20
just&nbsp;scattered an ant hill and put the bedding over the disturbed=20
ants.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It is also possible, although I don't recall =
having=20
heard this, that birds sometimes&nbsp;seek ant bites so that other kinds =
of=20
discomfort are diminished. In this vein, I was interested to read =
recently=20
that&nbsp;some&nbsp;&nbsp;Stone Age&nbsp; (literally then but probably =
cell=20
phone age now) Natives of Australian New Guinea (National Geographic =
135(4):=20
568-592, 1969) rub Stinging&nbsp;Nettles over their nearly naked bodies =
when=20
they become tired or in pain (p 581 &amp; 590) and this eases =
the&nbsp;initial=20
pain or&nbsp;this gives them a second wind.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Yt, Dave Webster Kentville</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; =
PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"=20
dir=3Dltr>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A title=3Ddesolatechair@gmail.com =
href=3D"mailto:desolatechair@gmail.com">Shouty=20
  McShoutsalot</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> =
</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, June 28, 2015 =
6:23 PM</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [NatureNS] re =
tasty red ants=20
  vs. anting by birds</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV dir=3Dltr>Jim=20
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV>This guy was not in a state of bliss.&nbsp; He was in the anting =
position=20
  and clearly getting bit for his efforts.&nbsp; Which is understandable =
as the=20
  ants would have been defending the nest.&nbsp; If the Raven was =
getting formic=20
  acid based benefit he was paying the price.</DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV>Regards</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV>Jamie Simpson</DIV></DIV><BR>
  <DIV class=3Dgmail_quote>
  <DIV dir=3Dltr>On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 4:07 PM Jim Wolford &lt;<A=20
  href=3D"mailto:jimwolford@eastlink.ca">jimwolford@eastlink.ca</A>&gt;=20
  wrote:<BR></DIV>
  <BLOCKQUOTE=20
  style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; =
PADDING-LEFT: 1ex"=20
  class=3Dgmail_quote>
    <DIV style=3D"WORD-WRAP: break-word">=E2=80=9CAnting=E2=80=9D has =
nothing to do with eating=20
    ants, rather it=E2=80=99s letting the ants do their thing in the =
feathers and skin=20
    of the birds.&nbsp; Anting birds look like they are basking, with =
wings=20
    &amp; tail spread out and overall demeanor like the bird or birds =
is/are on=20
    a =E2=80=9Chigh=E2=80=9D, enjoying the experience (too =
anthropomorphic?).&nbsp; Cheers from=20
    Jim =E2=80=94 see the link for anting given in a previous message.=20
    <DIV><BR></DIV>
    <DIV>P.S. to =E2=80=9CAt=E2=80=9D et al., I think we all should be =
identifying ourselves on=20
    this list, so that we don=E2=80=99t get like most social =
media.&nbsp; I am not=20
    suggesting rules on this, but wanting to see names at end of =
messages.<BR>
    <DIV><BR>
    <DIV>Begin forwarded message:</DIV><BR>
    <BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite">
      <DIV style=3D"MARGIN: 0px"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
'Helvetica'"><B>From:=20
      </B></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'">At &lt;<A=20
      href=3D"mailto:hamst@xplornet.com"=20
      target=3D_blank>hamst@xplornet.com</A>&gt;<BR></SPAN></DIV>
      <DIV style=3D"MARGIN: 0px"><SPAN=20
      style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'"><B>Subject: </B></SPAN><SPAN=20
      style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'"><B>[NatureNS] =
Ants</B><BR></SPAN></DIV>
      <DIV style=3D"MARGIN: 0px"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
'Helvetica'"><B>Date:=20
      </B></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'">June 28, 2015 =
at=20
      10:08:27 AM PDT<BR></SPAN></DIV>
      <DIV style=3D"MARGIN: 0px"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: =
'Helvetica'"><B>To:=20
      </B></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'">Nature McEvoy =
&lt;<A=20
      href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca"=20
      target=3D_blank>naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A>&gt;<BR></SPAN></DIV>
      <DIV style=3D"MARGIN: 0px"><SPAN=20
      style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'"><B>Reply-To: </B></SPAN><SPAN=20
      style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'"><A =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca"=20
      target=3D_blank>naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A><BR></SPAN></DIV><BR>
      <DIV>According to a step son who used to eat them as a child the =
red ants=20
      are the best!<BR><BR><BR>Sent from my=20
    =
iPad<BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><A></=
A>
  <P align=3Dleft color=3D"#000000" avgcert??>No virus found in this=20
  message.<BR>Checked by AVG - <A=20
  href=3D"http://www.avg.com">www.avg.com</A><BR>Version: 2015.0.6037 / =
Virus=20
  Database: 4365/10113 - Release Date: =
06/28/15</P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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