Comments on: Ant country http://roberto.kellerperez.com/2009/01/ant-country/ Ant reconstruction one homology at a time Sun, 20 Nov 2011 08:11:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: CarolH http://roberto.kellerperez.com/2009/01/ant-country/comment-page-1/#comment-66 CarolH Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:59:46 +0000 http://roberto.kellerperez.com/?p=189#comment-66 I got curious also and did a little googling. It appears to be another case in which the ants have been unfairly blamed. I found several agricultural extension sites discussing the use of whitewash to prevent winter sunscald on young trees. See, for example: http://cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu/files/58343.pdf PS: Love the SEM photos and look forward to seeing more of them! I got curious also and did a little googling. It appears to be another case in which the ants have been unfairly blamed. I found several agricultural extension sites discussing the use of whitewash to prevent winter sunscald on young trees. See, for example: http://cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu/files/58343.pdf

PS: Love the SEM photos and look forward to seeing more of them!

]]> By: Roberto Keller http://roberto.kellerperez.com/2009/01/ant-country/comment-page-1/#comment-65 Roberto Keller Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:47:41 +0000 http://roberto.kellerperez.com/?p=189#comment-65 Carol- That is an interesting piece of information. Now I am really curious to find out when and where did this practice originated. I am sure there must be something more technical written in the old applied entomological literature. I'll keep my eyes open for that. Carol- That is an interesting piece of information. Now I am really curious to find out when and where did this practice originated. I am sure there must be something more technical written in the old applied entomological literature. I’ll keep my eyes open for that.

]]> By: CarolH http://roberto.kellerperez.com/2009/01/ant-country/comment-page-1/#comment-64 CarolH Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:28:12 +0000 http://roberto.kellerperez.com/?p=189#comment-64 I recall seeing the bases of tree trunks painted white (not sure with what) in western Arkansas, where I grew up, in the fifties and sixties. It was unusual and old-fashioned even back then, but the old folks, at least, believed it protected the trees from some sort of insect pest. I recall seeing the bases of tree trunks painted white (not sure with what) in western Arkansas, where I grew up, in the fifties and sixties. It was unusual and old-fashioned even back then, but the old folks, at least, believed it protected the trees from some sort of insect pest.

]]> By: Alex http://roberto.kellerperez.com/2009/01/ant-country/comment-page-1/#comment-61 Alex Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:44:21 +0000 http://roberto.kellerperez.com/?p=189#comment-61 This seems to be common throughout Latin America- Paraguayans and Argentinians also paint their trees. It doesn't stop the ants, of course, but it makes them easier to spot as the climb the trunk. In that, it does seem to serve at least some sort of myrmecological function. This seems to be common throughout Latin America- Paraguayans and Argentinians also paint their trees. It doesn’t stop the ants, of course, but it makes them easier to spot as the climb the trunk. In that, it does seem to serve at least some sort of myrmecological function.

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