harvester ants are intriguing because not only are they among the most painful
not only are they among the most painful
not only are they among the most painful of all stinging insects their venom is
of all stinging insects their venom is
of all stinging insects their venom is 3040 times more toxic than say
3040 times more toxic than say
3040 times more toxic than say rattlesnake venom and if you pick them
rattlesnake venom and if you pick them
rattlesnake venom and if you pick them up by hand well you might just get stung
up by hand well you might just get stung
up by hand well you might just get stung biggest risk around here is not being
biggest risk around here is not being
biggest risk around here is not being stung by the harvester ants I use an
stung by the harvester ants I use an
stung by the harvester ants I use an aspirator as we call it so what I do is
aspirator as we call it so what I do is
aspirator as we call it so what I do is I can very carefully pick up the and if
I can very carefully pick up the and if
I can very carefully pick up the and if you do it right you can pick up just the
you do it right you can pick up just the
you do it right you can pick up just the end and not a whole mouthful of dirt
end and not a whole mouthful of dirt
end and not a whole mouthful of dirt takes a little bit of practice but you
takes a little bit of practice but you
takes a little bit of practice but you get good at after a while it’s a little
get good at after a while it’s a little
get good at after a while it’s a little awkward in here I’ve been to 22 or 23
awkward in here I’ve been to 22 or 23
awkward in here I’ve been to 22 or 23 different countries over this time I
different countries over this time I
different countries over this time I estimate have been stung by about
estimate have been stung by about
estimate have been stung by about thousand to 1,500 different times
thousand to 1,500 different times
thousand to 1,500 different times don’t like it but you know it’s
don’t like it but you know it’s
don’t like it but you know it’s occupational hazard my research consists
occupational hazard my research consists
occupational hazard my research consists of testing various Venom’s from various
of testing various Venom’s from various
of testing various Venom’s from various insects I’m doing biochemical and
insects I’m doing biochemical and
insects I’m doing biochemical and pharmacological tests on them on the
pharmacological tests on them on the
pharmacological tests on them on the medical level we can use insect venom
medical level we can use insect venom
medical level we can use insect venom for helping our own welfare and say
for helping our own welfare and say
for helping our own welfare and say chronic pain from from surgery or or
chronic pain from from surgery or or
chronic pain from from surgery or or arthritis or cancer or something of this
arthritis or cancer or something of this
arthritis or cancer or something of this nature that’s the tip of the abdomen
nature that’s the tip of the abdomen
nature that’s the tip of the abdomen including the stinger and you put the
including the stinger and you put the
including the stinger and you put the little bit of venom into there the idea
little bit of venom into there the idea
little bit of venom into there the idea is we’d like to be able to make a
is we’d like to be able to make a
is we’d like to be able to make a specific drug that targets just the pain
specific drug that targets just the pain
specific drug that targets just the pain doesn’t have all these side effects
doesn’t have all these side effects
doesn’t have all these side effects which is so devastating
so I’m coming up to a collection of
so I’m coming up to a collection of Pacific cicada killers these are
Pacific cicada killers these are
Pacific cicada killers these are probably the fastest wasps that I know
probably the fastest wasps that I know
probably the fastest wasps that I know of
of
of they’re incredibly hard to catch most of
they’re incredibly hard to catch most of
they’re incredibly hard to catch most of what they’re doing right now is these
what they’re doing right now is these
what they’re doing right now is these are males they’re sparring with each
are males they’re sparring with each
are males they’re sparring with each other trying to set up territories to
other trying to set up territories to
other trying to set up territories to attract the females for mating I finally
attract the females for mating I finally
attract the females for mating I finally got one he’s in the net come on fella
got one he’s in the net come on fella
got one he’s in the net come on fella come up the far end Wiggin that’s a good
come up the far end Wiggin that’s a good
come up the far end Wiggin that’s a good guy
no I succeeded hello there little fella
no I succeeded hello there little fella oh I know you’re not happy how can you
oh I know you’re not happy how can you
oh I know you’re not happy how can you not admire the beauty of something like
not admire the beauty of something like
not admire the beauty of something like this cicada killer but you see he’s got
this cicada killer but you see he’s got
this cicada killer but you see he’s got this clever trick he’s acting like a
this clever trick he’s acting like a
this clever trick he’s acting like a female the females of course are the
female the females of course are the
female the females of course are the ones that can sting I’m sneaky enough to
ones that can sting I’m sneaky enough to
ones that can sting I’m sneaky enough to know that he’s just just a sweet
know that he’s just just a sweet
know that he’s just just a sweet loveable male and they can’t really hurt
loveable male and they can’t really hurt
loveable male and they can’t really hurt me I’m fascinated with Venom’s because
me I’m fascinated with Venom’s because
me I’m fascinated with Venom’s because they allow us to understand the
they allow us to understand the
they allow us to understand the evolution of sociality but also it helps
evolution of sociality but also it helps
evolution of sociality but also it helps us understand ourselves we’re social
us understand ourselves we’re social
us understand ourselves we’re social animals and we compare our sociality
animals and we compare our sociality
animals and we compare our sociality with insects and see what do we have in
with insects and see what do we have in
with insects and see what do we have in common we can learn from their stories
common we can learn from their stories
common we can learn from their stories we can learn to love the insects or even
we can learn to love the insects or even
we can learn to love the insects or even if we’re afraid of them if we understand
if we’re afraid of them if we understand
if we’re afraid of them if we understand them we can be a little less afraid and
them we can be a little less afraid and
them we can be a little less afraid and a little more tolerant and that will
a little more tolerant and that will
a little more tolerant and that will improve our joy of life
[Music]
[Music] this is a containment facility for our
this is a containment facility for our
this is a containment facility for our live exhibits right here something
live exhibits right here something
live exhibits right here something that’s in there again they have really
that’s in there again they have really
that’s in there again they have really meaty cause full of muscle they can use
meaty cause full of muscle they can use
meaty cause full of muscle they can use that to grab anything smaller than them
that to grab anything smaller than them
that to grab anything smaller than them so we feed them crickets
”
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