2w ago

feral naming

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This is a weird question but everyone else could smell these, right? Like a weird bitter, musty smell. That post about people smelling ants a while back made me wonder what other bugs not all people smell.
- They excrete ammonia through their exoskeleton because they don't actually pee! I've only noticed a smell from them when they're in large groups. They may be a bit smelly, and a lot of people mislabel them as insects, but they're actually terrestrial isopods and are related to crabs and shrimps!
  
  Welp, that explains why the Netherlands calls these bugs "bedpissers"
- Yeah they smell like stinky wood/almonds to me.
  
  stinky wood/almonds
  Isn't almonds also the scent reported by those genetically-equipped to smell cyanide?
- Not me! Do you smell ants? I think it’s a genetic trait.
  
  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.
  
  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!
  
  I’ve never noticed an ant smell, if I had to guess I’d assume it’s some different chemical I’m picking up on from the pill bugs.
  
  I think so! I love them but I haven’t smelled them. What’s your stance on cilantro? I love genetic smell/taste traits.
  
  I’m a soap-taster, unfortunately, but it smells really good to me! I just wish it tasted like it smelled
  
  I don’t think it is, but I wonder if it’s related?! Neat!
  I wish it tasted to you like it does to me :c I LOVE cilantro!
- Doesn't ring a bell. Earwigs have a distinct smell, though.

77 comments