• WhipperSnapper@lemmy.ml
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    5 days ago

    Certain ants are pretty distinct. Thatch ants spray formic acid as a defense, and will have a sour smell (and taste, or so I’ve been told). Odoriferous house ants are named so for obvious reason, and smell (to me) like pen ink. Assuming they taste terrible, but I dunno anyone who’s tasted one.

    Also, for what it’s worth, my entomologist father refers to the thread’s subject as “sow bugs”, so that’s how I know them, but pill bugs and rolly polly are common here.

    • TriflingToad
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      5 days ago

      That’s very interesting. I can’t smell ants at all and [threads subject] smell like dirt to me (I assume because they live in dirt)
      Thanks for explaining!