Slowing down of Earth’s rotation

The Earth's spin is slowing down by about 1.5 - 2 milliseconds per century, and that angular momentum is moving into the Moon's orbit, which is getting larger. The reason for this, and the reason a figure skater can only spin for so long, is friction. In the case of the skater, it's air resistance and friction with the ice. In the case of the Earth, it's the friction due to tides moving around the Earth.

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Pedestrian traffic lights in Nimwegen Holland show couple having sex

Motorists crashed into each other when a set of pedestrian lights showed a couple having sex whenever they turned to green.

Red-faced traffic bosses are investigating who played the prank on the lights in Nimwegen, Holland, which led to a number of rear-end shunts.

People kept pressing the button to see the couple having sex and of course every time they did, the traffic had to stop suddenly.

Transport officials are investigating how computer hackers managed to get into the town's traffic light system to manipulate the image, which showed the couple having sex from behind.

(Source)

A car number plate which means vagina

A woman in New South Wales, Australia is being relentlessly pursued by state road authorities because her personalized number plate means "vagina" in another language,

The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) says the number plate bearing the name - "Kiki" - is the same word used for vagina in the Filipino language, Tagalog, and wanted them removed.

Kristen Perry, a lawyer from Newcastle, said she was informed of her "offensive" nickname after first receiving her personalized plates five years ago as a gift from her husband. Perry said that Kiki has been her nickname since childhood.

The RTA received a complaint from a Tagalog speaker who found the number plate offensive. The Tagalog people are an ethnic group in the Philippines, making up 28.1 per cent of the Filipino population.

Complete news.

Oysters sex change

There is no way of telling male oysters from females by examining their shells. While oysters have separate sexes, they may change sex one or more times during their life span. The gonads, organs responsible for producing both eggs and sperm, surround the digestive organs and are made up of sex cells, branching tubules and connective tissue.

More oysters facts.

Lake Volta : the largest man-made lake in the world

Lake Volta is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. It is about 250 miles (400 km) long and covers 3,283 square miles (8,502 square km), or 3.6 percent of Ghana’s area.

The lake is formed by the Akosombo Dam, which, begun in 1961 and completed in 1965, dammed the Volta River just south of Ajena and created a lake extending upstream from the Akosombo Dam to Yapei, beyond the former confluence of the Black Volta and White Volta rivers.

With a storage capacity of 124,000,000 acre-feet (153,000,000,000 cubic m) of water, the lake’s creation involved the inundation of 15,000 homes and of 740 villages and the resettlement of 78,000 people. The lake is navigable and provides a cheap route linking Ghana’s northern savanna with the coast. It also is a major fishing ground and provides irrigation water for farmland in the dry Accra Plains lying immediately below the dam site. The generating capacity of the dam’s hydroelectric power plant is 912 megawatts of electricity.

Birth control pills work on gorillas

In 2007 an elderly but amorous female gorilla was "put on the pill" by Belfast Zoo vets to prevent her becoming pregnant. The reason for the precaution was that at 44 years old, Delilah was still healthy enough to mate. Her behaviour with her male friends continually belies her years. The zoo's vets decided that a pregnancy would be too dangerous for the lively primate, especially because she has arthritis.

The spritely 44-year-old is one of the oldest gorillas in captivity anywhere.

More on this.

Man who survived Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs

The only man recognized by the Japanese Government to have survived both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs died last year at 93. Tsutomu Yamaguchi was the only individual to be recognized as having survived both atomic bombs during World War II back in 1945.

Yamaguchi, an engineer by trade, was on a business trip to Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945 when the world's first atomic bomb, code named Little Boy by the United States, left him temporarily blind and deaf, and with serious burns covering his body.

Three days later Yamaguchi had returned to his home in Nagasaki where less than 2 miles away the second bomb, dubbed Fat Man, was dropped.

The blasts caused Yamaguchi to lose hearing in his left ear. He also suffered from acute leukaemia, cataracts and other bomb-related illnesses in subsequent years.

Complete news.

Hermaphrodite Snails

Snails will be able to reproduce differently than almost any other type of creature because of their species and their make-up. This begins with the build that all snails have. Snails are considered to be hermaphrodites. This means that every snail will have both male and female reproductive organs. This is especially consistent among land snails and most marine snails. The only snails that have not adapted this attribute is some freshwater and marine species, specifically including Apple Snails and periwinkles. These two types of snails still have a separate male and female species.

All snails will be considered sexually mature by the time they are one year old. This is because the life span of most species does not last for more than five to seven years, allowing for a faster growth rate of the species. The make-up of the snails will include their reproductive organs on the side of their body. This is close to the top of their body as well, allowing for easier abilities to mate and to grow the baby snails.

Learn more about snails.

Rainbow town

Rainbow is a small town of several hundred people at the southern end of the Mallee region of Victoria, Australia. Travelling down the main street, with its attractive median strip and palm trees, one gets the feeling that little has changed here in the last 40 or 50 years. The town serves a large area focused largely on farming although there are a number of stud farms in the district and a butter factory.

Rainbow is located 392 km north-west of Melbourne and 57 km north of Dimboola. Once occupied by the Wotjobaluk people, the first land grant in the area was 'Halbacutya' station, established by John Coppock in 1846. It stretched from Lake Hindmarsh to the northern end of Lake Albacutya. Coppock lived at the north-eastern corner of the lake until a dispute with Robert von Stieglitz of the 'Pine Hill' run forced him to move his residence to Lake Albacutya. Bushranger Dan Morgan held up the station in 1868, after Coppock's death. A rabbit plague ate the station out in the late 1870s.

Closer settlement of the area began when the property was subdivided in the late 1880s for agricultural development. A railhead was established in 1900, around which a township grew. It was named after an old property called 'Rainbow Rise' which, in turn, was named after a crescent-shaped ridge nearby upon which colourful wildflowers grew.

More about the Rainbow town.

Alligators are good parents

Alligators are some of the best parents in the reptile world. Mothers guard their nests and help the eggs hatch. And sometimes both parents look after and protect the young.

A female alligator builds a nest on the ground. She uses her mouth to gather plants. She uses her feet and tail to push the plants and soil into a large mound, or pile, about 3 feet (0.9 meter) high and 7 feet (2.1 meters) wide. Then she lays her eggs in a hollow at the top of the mound nest and covers them up.

Alligators do not warm their eggs by sitting on them. They let the nest warm the eggs. As plants in the nest decay, they give off heat. This warms the eggs.

Even though a mother alligator does not sit on her eggs, she is always nearby. She guards the nest to keep away egg-eating animals, other alligators, and people.

More about alligators.

Different colours of pumpkins

Pumpkins are orange.......... everybody knows that. But did you know the king of jack-o-lanterns comes in many colours besides orange? Pumpkin varieties have expanded to include shades of red, pink, green, yellow, white, blue and even tan to please the palates of those looking for something unique or fun. So, pumpkin lovers have lots of variety to choose from. What’s your favourite pumpkin color?

Most pumpkins are orange because of the high amounts of lutein, alpha- and beta- carotene. But don't assume the absence of orange in the skin means the absence of one or more of these substances - almost all pumpkins have some variation of orange flesh which is rich in Vitamin A and lots of other vitamins, minerals, and heart-healthy antioxidants.

Pumpkins mate in a way that can result in interesting colours and shapes. A lot of plants have male and female varieties, but the pumpkin and other squashes feature both sexes on the same vine.

Cross-pollination is very likely between the different varieties of plants, resulting in hybrid pumpkins. For example, the Jarrahdale blue pumpkin is a cross between the Blue Hubbard squash and the huge red Cinderella pumpkin.

Learn more about pumpkins.

Amazing Koalas Facts

Koalas are marsupials, related to kangaroos. Most marsupials have pouches where the tiny newborns develop. A koala mother usually gives birth to one joey at a time. A newborn koala is only the size of a jelly bean. Called a joey, the baby is blind, naked, and earless. As soon as it's born, this tiny creature makes its way from the birth canal to its mother's pouch.



Using the two well-developed senses it's born with—smell and touch—along with its strong front legs and claws and an instinct that tells it which direction to head, the baby koala reaches the pouch. There it stays, safely tucked away, growing and developing for about seven months.


After a baby has been in the pouch for about six months, its mother begins to produce a special substance called pap. The joey feeds on this in addition to the milk it's already getting. Pap comes from the mother's intestines and contains bacteria that the joey needs to have in its own intestines so that it can digest an adult diet of eucalyptus leaves.


At about seven months, the joey leaves the pouch to eat leaves, but returns to it to nurse. By the time the joey is about one year old; it stops nursing and eats just leaves.


Koalas have thick woolly fur that protects them from both heat and cold. It also acts like a raincoat. Koalas have thick, greyish fur, with white on their chests, inner arms, and ears. They have large furry ears and leathery noses.


Koalas live in trees, sometimes coming down to the ground to seek shade or another tree. They occasionally jump from one tree to the next.


The word koala may come from an Aboriginal word meaning no drink. Although koalas do drink when necessary, they obtain most of the moisture they need from leaves.


A female koala is pregnant for only 35 days before giving birth; most of the joey's growth and development takes place in the mother's pouch.


Koalas spend as many as 18 hours a day napping and resting.


Koalas smell like cough drops because of their diet of eucalyptus trees.


Koalas in the cooler southern areas of Australia are bigger and have thicker fur than their northern relatives. Female koalas are smaller than males. Southern koalas weigh between 20 and 30 pounds and northern koalas weigh between 13 and 16 pounds.



Worth of an Olympic gold medal

How much gold is there in those Olympic medals?

What are they worth?

According to the Olympic Charter, the gold and silver medals must each be made of at least 92.5 percent pure silver and the gold medal must be gilded with at least six grams of gold. The first-place medal is actually 550 grams of silver covered with a thin layer of gold (6 grams)! A silver medal is far more authentic - 509 grams of silver and 41 grams of copper. The bronze medal is composed of mostly copper, with some zinc and tin mixed in. One can ask with the gold prices changing on daily basis approximately how much are all these precious metals worth.

(Source)

Blue-eyed black lemur

The blue-eyed black lemur is found only in a small region of the island of Madagascar, where they live in subtropical moist and dry forests. Unlike most primates, the males and females are different colours. Males are completely black, while females are mostly reddish-brown. Both sexes have blue or blue-grey eyes; this lemur is one of just a few species of primates in which blue eyes are typical.

Sclater’s blue-eyed lemur, a subspecies of black lemur, is an extremely rare primate with bright blue eyes and a very small range.

Their slender bodies are about 16 inches, with long, 20-inch furry tails. They lack the brachial (arm) scent glands of Genus Lemur, but use anogenital scent glands, along with urine, to mark home territories.

Blue-eyed black lemurs live in groups that include several adult males and females with young. Within groups, females are dominant to males and get first choice of food. Female dominance is a pattern seen in many types of lemurs. Blue-eyed black lemurs are arboreal, living and traveling mostly in the trees.

In the wild, blue-eyed black lemurs probably eat fruit, leaves, flowers and nectar. They may also occasionally catch birds and small mammals. They also feed on nectar-bearing plants that bloom at night, and they savour some animal matter like millipedes. In the trees, these lemurs eat directly from branches, which they pull toward their faces while hanging on with their grasping feet, or from large fruits they grasp with both hands while biting off pieces. In the Zoo, the blue-eyed black lemurs eat scientifically-formulated primate chow and a variety of fresh produce.

Gestation is about four-and-a-half months. Usually a single infant is born, though twins are not rare. Both sexes are born dark; females change color around six months. With their grasping hands, babies hang on to the mother’s abdomen for about four weeks, then ride on her back. Weaning is at about five months, and maturity at 18 months. These lemurs live up to 30 years. Their fox-like faces often have differing colours of fur around the eyes and noses.

Penis museum in Husavik, Iceland, gets first human specimen

In life, Pall Arason was an attention-seeker. In death, the 95-year-old Icelander's pickled penis will be the main attraction at one of the world's most bizarre museums.

Sigurdur Hjartarson, who runs the Phallological Museum in the tiny Icelandic fishing town of Husavik, says Arason's organ will help complete his extensive collection of whale, seal, bear, and other mammalian members.

The museum has been open since 1997 but Hjartarson has long waited for a human specimen to round out his display.

(Source)

How fast does light travel from the Sun to each of the planets

Light travels at a speed of 299,792 kilometers per second; 186,287 miles per second. It takes 499.0 seconds for light to travel from the Sun to the Earth, a distance called 1 Astronomical Unit. Below is the light travel times from the Sun to each planet:

Planet                 Distance in AU                            Travel time

Mercury                 0.387                                      193.0 seconds or 3.2 minutes


Venus                    0.723                                      360.0 seconds or 6.0 minutes


Earth                     1.000                                       499.0 seconds or 8.3 minutes


Mars                    1.523                                        759.9 seconds or 12.6 minutes


Jupiter                  5.203                                       2595.0 seconds or 43.2 minutes


Saturn                  9.538                                       4759.0 seconds or 79.3 minutes


Uranus               19.819                                      9575.0 seconds or 159.6 minutes


Neptune            30.058                                    14998.0 seconds or 4.1 hours


Pluto                 39.44                                      19680.0 seconds or 5.5 hours


 
(Source)

World-first extinction index

A Team of Australian scientists has developed a world-first index to determine how close species are to extinction, and it is hoped it could help save some animal populations from disappearing.

Corey Bradshaw, the director of ecological modelling at Adelaide University's Environmental Institute, said the Species Ability to Forestall Extinction index -- or SAFE -- showed how close species were to the minimum number needed to survive.

Working on the theory that species required about 5000 animals to survive, Professor Bradshaw said if populations were vastly lower, there was a heightened risk of extinction.

Professor Bradshaw said the causes of population decline were not usually the same as the reasons why species became extinct. Some species had seen massive declines because of land clearing or climate change, and others were in decline because of hunting and over-exploitation, such as the bush meat trade.

Working with researchers from James Cook University, in north Queensland, Professor Bradshaw and his team looked at 95 species of mammals from around the world, and found that almost 20 per cent were close to extinction.

More about the extinction index.

Caffeine Craving Linked to Genetics

According to a study whether or not you're caffeine junkie is in part determined by your genes.

The study identified two genes associated with the amount of caffeine people consume. Both of the genes are known to be involved in the breakdown of caffeine in the liver.

The findings suggest one of the main reasons why some people drink more caffeine than others is that the heavy drinkers are better able to tolerate it. While both the liver and the brain influence caffeine consumption. However, it turns out that your liver, more than your brain, determines daily caffeine intake. If your liver breaks it down very rapidly, then likely you drink more.

Studies on twins have suggested that the amount of caffeine a person drinks is, in part, hereditary. But researchers didn't know what genes determine this caffeine preference.

The study scanned the genes of more than 47,000 individuals. Participants answered questions about how much coffee, tea, soda and chocolate they consumed.

The researchers identified two genes, CYP1A2 and AHR that are associated with caffeine intake. Everybody has these genes, but some people have variations that are more active than others. People with the most active versions of these genes drank about 40 milligrams more of caffeine than did people with the least active version. That's equivalent to an 8-ounce can of Diet Coke.

More about the study.

The woman addicted to eating sofas

When Adele Edwards is hungry, she doesn’t bother with the kitchen. She just heads straight for the furniture. Her bizarre diet is killing her but she says she just can’t stop.

Adele Edwards, the mum-of-five isn’t hooked on junk food; she has a much more unusual addiction. She can’t stop eating household items, such as rubbers and elastic bands. But her favourite snack is the ¬polyester filling from sofa cushions.

To her, man-made foam is more delicious than biscuits or cakes.

It sounds bizarre but Adele, 30, is suffering from a recognised medical condition Pica.

Pica is seen in all people of all ages but is particularly common in pregnant ¬women, small children, and those with developmental disabilities. Sufferers feel compelled to eat non-food items ranging from clay, dirt and sand to hairballs, ice or paint.

Despite the ¬unusual symptoms, Pica is relatively common in people like Adele who suffer from ¬anaemia.

The craving for non-food items is a response to extreme iron deficiency.

Having munched her way through eight sofas and five chairs, she ¬estimates that she’s digested nearly 16st of synthetic foam in her ¬lifetime.

She simply can’t stop and now she’s terrified of eating ¬herself into an early grave. In recent months, she’s had¬ ¬emergency treatment for intestinal obstruction after eating chunks of polyester foam which she refers to simply as “cushion”.

Doctors have warned that she will leave her children motherless if she doesn’t give up, but she says she’s powerless to stop.

“I was 10 years old when I was first introduced to cushion,” explains Adele. “I was playing with my cousin when he peeled apart the sofa, picked off a piece of sponge and popped it into his mouth like it was bubble gum.

“At first, I thought it was strange but, after sucking it for a while, I came to like the texture..

The doctors told Adele, from Florida, that there was no cure for the disorder but arranged for her to have therapy. Unfortunately, it didn’t have much of an effect on her.

“My ¬therapist suggested I was ¬eating cushion as a reaction to my ¬parents’ divorce but I knew I just liked the way it tasted,” she says.

More about this bizarre addiction.

Genetically modified cattle produce human breast milk

Scientists have created genetically modified cattle that produce "human" milk in a bid to make cows' milk more nutritious.

Human genes have been successfully implanted into 300 dairy cows to produce milk with the same properties as human breast milk, the London Sunday Telegraph reports.

Human milk contains high quantities of key nutrients that can help to boost the immune system of babies and reduce the risk of infections.

The scientists behind the research believe milk from herds of genetically modified cows could provide an alternative to human breast milk and formula milk for babies, which is often criticised as being an inferior substitute.

The research has the backing of a major biotechnology company.

Find out more about this research.

The History of Ice Cream

Ice cream's origins are known to reach back as far as the second century B.C., although no specific date of origin nor inventor has been undisputedly credited with its discovery. We know that Alexander the Great enjoyed snow and ice flavored with honey and nectar. Biblical references also show that King Solomon was fond of iced drinks during harvesting. During the Roman Empire, Nero Claudius Caesar (A.D. 54-86) frequently sent runners into the mountains for snow, which was then flavored with fruits and juices.

Over a thousand years later, Marco Polo returned to Italy from the Far East with a recipe that closely resembled what is now called sherbet. Historians estimate that this recipe evolved into ice cream sometime in the 16th century. England seems to have discovered ice cream at the same time, or perhaps even earlier than the Italians. "Cream Ice," as it was called, appeared regularly at the table of Charles I during the 17th century. France was introduced to similar frozen desserts in 1553 by the Italian Catherine de Medici when she became the wife of Henry II of France. It wasn't until 1660 that ice cream was made available to the general public. The Sicilian Procopio introduced a recipe blending milk, cream, butter and eggs at Café Procope, the first café in Paris.

Read more.

Former bathroom turned into eatery

A former public bathroom in an historic Boston park is being turned into a sandwich shop.

Yuk! Don't get grossed out. The project is a chance to preserve the historic mausoleum-like structure while bringing new life to the Common.

The 660-square-foot "Pink Palace" on Boston Common built in the 1920s hasn't been used as a restroom in decades.

City officials have announced that they have agreed to a 15-year lease with the Florida-based Earl of Sandwich chain for a takeout operation at the site. The goal is to open the shop later this year or early next year following renovations.

(Source)

Grandad's ashes used in siblings' tattoos

Two grieving siblings found a unique way to remember their late grandfather - by having his ashes tattooed onto their skin.

Brother and sister Andrew and Helen Bird were devastated when former RAF serviceman Reginald Alefs, 90, died from cancer in February.

The pair, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, came up with a bizarre way to keep their grandfather close by mixing his ashes with ink and etching them onto their skin.

Helen, 30, had the image of a heart and a single rose etched into her back - while brother Andrew, 27, transformed the ashes into a poetic extract.

Fittingly, the four lines Andrew used were taken from a poem written by Reginald himself.

The siblings thought it would be a really good way of paying tribute to their granddad. They were both really close to him and spent quite a bit of time with him towards the end of his life.

Andrew's four-line arm etching was made using a mixture of his grandfather's ashes and regular tattoo ink. The poem on Andrew's arm reads: 'In life we see their bodies die, free from toil and pain, but don't be too distressed my friends, their spirit still remains.'

Two teaspoons of Reginald's ashes, a former electrical engineer from Leek, Staffs, were used for both tattoos.

Check out more about these tattoos.

Monkey business: Rhesus outsmarts langur

Langurs were inducted on the campus of Punjab University to drive away rhesus monkeys that had made life miserable for residents on the complex and the adjoining areas. But they have now lost the advantage to their smaller simian cousins who have turned out to be more cunning.

Langurs, used to drive away the rhesus monkeys due to their larger stature and aggressive nature. But they are now confused as rhesus monkeys have come up with tricks to outsmart them.

'We were successful in curbing the terror of monkeys to an extent but they (the monkeys) are really very clever,' the varsity's Dean for Student Welfare Naval Kishore told IANS.

'We are surprised to see that monkeys know the timing of the langurs and they attack a different place at that time. Their behaviour is so human-like. They are really smart,' he added.

Punjab University had hired a total of three langur owners, two for taking the animal around the hostels and the departments in the day time and one at night. The owners of these langurs are paid Rs.6,500 per month.

Read more.

Neil Armstrong's Boots Still on the Moon

Neil Armstrong's boots (size 9 1⁄2 medium)—are still on the moon, along with nine other pairs of boots worn during the Apollo missions. When the Apollo astronauts collected moon rocks, they had to jettison their boots to compensate for the additional weight they brought back.

Three decades on the moon have taken a toll. The metal buckles and snaps on the boots would be fine. No oxygen on the moon, so no oxidation and rust. But the silicone soles and synthetic fabrics have probably off-gassed and degraded. Should anyone try to retrieve them, there's a good chance the shoes would turn to powder if touched.

Read more.

Giraffes

Giraffes are the world's tallest mammals, thanks to their towering legs and long necks. A giraffe's legs alone are taller than many humans—about 6 feet (1.8 meters). These long legs allow giraffes to run as fast as 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour over short distances and cruise comfortably at 10 miles (16 kilometers) an hour over longer distances.

Typically, these fascinating animals roam the open grasslands in small groups of about half a dozen. They roam the African savanna in constant search for food, like treetop acacia buds.

Giraffes use their height to good advantage and browse on leaves and buds in treetops that few other animals can reach (acacias are a favorite). Even the giraffe's tongue is long! The 21-inch (53-centimeter) tongue helps them pluck tasty morsels from branches. Giraffes eat most of the time and, like cows, regurgitate food and chew it as cud. A giraffe eats hundreds of pounds of leaves each week and must travel miles to find enough food.

The giraffe's height also helps it to keep a sharp lookout for predators across the wide expanse of the African savanna.

The giraffe's stature can be a disadvantage as well—it is difficult and dangerous for a giraffe to drink at a water hole. To do so they must spread their legs and bend down in an awkward position that makes them vulnerable to predators like Africa's big cats. Giraffes only need to drink once every several days; they get most of their water from the luscious plants they eat.

Read more.

Electric Eels

Despite their serpentine appearance, electric eels are not actually eels. Their scientific classification is closer to carp and catfish.

These famous freshwater predators get their name from the enormous electrical charge they can generate to stun prey and dissuade predators. Their bodies contain electric organs with about 6,000 specialized cells called electrocytes that store power like tiny batteries. When threatened or attacking prey, these cells will discharge simultaneously, emitting a burst of at least 600 volts, five times the power of a standard U.S. wall socket.

They live in the murky streams and ponds of the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, feeding mainly on fish, but also amphibians and even birds and small mammals. As air-breathers, they must come to the surface frequently. They also have poor eyesight, but can emit a low-level charge, less than 10 volts, which they use like radar to navigate and locate prey.

Electric eels can reach huge proportions, exceeding 8 feet (2.5 meters) in length and 44 pounds (20 kilograms) in weight. They have long, cylindrical bodies and flattened heads and are generally dark green or grayish on top with yellowish coloring underneath.

Learn more about electric eels.

World's Weirdest Animals

A look at some of nature's strangest species, including the Dracula-fish of northern Burma.

It is just 17 millimetres-long, transparent and has hook-shaped extensions that look like teeth protruding through the skin above its mouth. Zoologists called it one of the most "extraordinary vertebrates discovered in the last few decades".

It has are very surprising teeth because none of the other 3,700 species in its species group have teeth in their jaws. It evolves its own tooth-like structures by growing them from the jaw bones rather than re-evolving jaw teeth.

Here's a look at some of the strangest examples of nature's wonderful variety.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants, vary in size and color but are usually large (1/4-1/2 inch) and blackish. Occasionally, swarms of winged carpenter ant reproductive will emerge inside a home. Carpenter ant swarms usually occur in the spring and are a sure sign that a colony is nesting somewhere inside the structure. Winged carpenter ants can be distinguished from termites by their larger size and shape of their antennae, waist and wings.

Carpenter ants damage wood by hollowing it out for nesting. They nest in both moist and dry wood, but prefer wood which is moist. They excavate galleries in wood which have a smooth, sandpapered appearance. Wood which has been damaged by carpenter ants contains no mud-like material, as is the case with termites. Shredded fragments of wood, similar in appearance to coarse sawdust, are ejected from the galleries through pre-existing cracks or slits made by the ants. When such accumulations are found (typically containing dead ants and bits of insects which the carpenter ants have eaten), it's a good indication that a carpenter ant nest is nearby. Oftentimes, however, the excavated sawdust remains hidden behind a wall or in some other concealed area.

The best way to control carpenter ants is to find and destroy the nests.

Learn more about carpenter ants and how to control them.