Serious wildlife question

[mm]

You'd think evolution would have weeded them out millions of years ago.

[dgk]

That's the dust from the wings! Pretty funny.

[Don Klipstein]

I do know for sure that insects in general can get intoxicated by alcohol, and yellow jackets can get outright noticeably drunk.

Furthermore, insects can absorb alcohol and most other common organic solvents through their skin.

One fine day sometime in the late 1970's or early 1980's, a yellow jacket got into a discarded beer bottle that still had some beer in it.

The poor thing was barely moving, apparently nearly unconscious. I poured the beer and the yellow jacket out. Apparently, the alcohol in the yellow jacket was able to escape through its skin and evaporate - or maybe there was some other reason why it was able to recover quite a bit in mere minutes. After just a minute or two, it was able to walk, at first stumbling in random directions. A few minutes later, it was able to walk fairly straight, and then it started flying. It flew somewhat erratically, and bumped into a house a couple times before flying out of sight.

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])

[mm]

Thank you. Yes, that's it. I think they were yellow jackets. They were among some fruit, not a kind popular with humans so it was all lying there, under the tree, and they were staggering around. It was amazing.

Hilarious. That'll teach him. I'll bet he got into more trouble when he got home.

[chaniarts]

insects don't have skin, nor sweat pores. they have spiracles.

[The Daring Dufas]

Be glad you don't live in Africa in or near a wildlife area. Drunk large animals and primates can be entertaining but a lot of trouble.

TDD

[Bob Villa]

:

Drunk or sober...they're a striking bird!

bob

[Nonny]

. . . or worse, a casino in Las Vegas.

[Oren]

A beautiful bird. The first picture I've seen of one.

[Joe]

Sounds like good, cheap (HA!) entertainment. For both parties.

[dgk]

Yes, I'm sure the little woman at home tanned his hide.

[dgk]

That looked like a drunk meerkat at :59. I never saw that on Meerkat Manor.

[The Daring Dufas]

I wonder when some of my ancient ancestors the Cavebillies first discovered alcohol? I'll bet my Cavewop ancestors discovered fermented drink first, they had to have something to go with the pasta.

TDD

[dgk]

There was an article in the Onion a few months back that was thanking the millions of people who died chewing different types of bark until they found the one that contained some drug (I forget which one). .

[chaniarts]

a precursor for asprin. from willow bark.

[dgk]

Right, thanks. Very funny article but it really makes you wonder how folks figured out that chewing willow bark makes you feel better.

There was a beer commercial with a guy looking at a lobster saying something like "now who's the first person who looked at that and thought it might taste good".

[Mysterious Traveler]

Someone who was in pain and willing to try anything to find relief.

Someone who was hungry.

[Steve B]

Hmm. Records and statistics were kept chronicling the millions of people who died from ingesting tree bark, yet at the same time in history they did not know about acetylsalicylic acid? It smells of Snopes to me. But then, with the liberal mentality of today, it is easily believable for one to conclude that statistics were discovered far before herbal remedies.

Steve