Re: The Nerve!

From:Philip Oshel

Barry,

Well, to answer one question -- depends on the fire ant. Most are 
sisters, with a few brothers during mating season, so "hickies" would 
mostly be incestuous. Then there're the mating flights among members 
of the reproductive caste, and I suspect that by the time the male 
finally gets to mate with the female he's too exhausted to do 
anything but hang on grimly, mate, and die. Not the usual fun 
Saturday night beer-and-hickies, I'm afraid.

Phil

>While it is true that some individuals in any group may not act in 
>an appropriate manner let us not use this as a label for all 
>individuals in that group.
>Let us please not forget that this is a forum that welcomes everyone 
>to express their opinion (but hopefully in a diplomatic manner). 
>Let us all act together. Lets hear more about  the skin of wombats, 
>the hypothalamus of insects, the mating rituals of fire ants etc. 
>(do fire ants give each other "hickeys" and if so is it painful is a 
>question that springs to my mind).
>I would suggest that it is now time for us to move on from this 
>divisive topic.
>Barry

-- 
Philip Oshel
Supervisor, BBPIC microscopy facility
Department of Animal Sciences
University of Wisconsin
1675 Observatory Drive
Madison,  WI  53706 - 1284
voice: (608) 263-4162
fax: (608) 262-5157 (dept. fax)




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