After a busy morning, this is a wondrous treat for me! Purple Martins are not common here in Walla Walla, so this is a quite a fun thread---I love all the details of how they (and the woodpeckers) handle Yellowjacket stingers and digest venom. And such beautiful pics! My fave is the "No...it's not safe yet." feeding. What a groovy post all 'round, Dave, with being-stung stories included...yours sounds totes scary, though...
In my early days of gardening I made the huge mistake of spraying water at a swarm of wasps. They, of course, got angry and started attacking me going up inside my shorts. I ended up with more stings than I could count and discovered how fast I could take off my shorts and underwear and dash bare ass into my house! Lesson learned.
Thank for sharing this about these brave skillful Purple Martins and the photos. 🫶🏼
As a kid one summer when Dad was teaching at Ole Miss, I stepped into a ground nest of red hornets who swarmed me and stung me silly. I started to go into shock, but thankfully we were visiting the University’s entomologist’s home and he and his wife, very savvy tossed me into a bathtub of cold water and tossed in every bit of ice they had. It was a wild ride, as, quite obviously you know all too well.
David thanks for this enlightening info re purple martins. Do not know if they are in the state of Florida but I like reading about all things in nature. Interesting on the food choices and wonder why the actual venom in the sting does not bother them when they are eaten. Is there something in the digestive system that neutralizes it so they are not harmed?
Teri and David, wasp venoms are mostly proteins, and these would be denatured and hydrolyzed in the digestive system. They must be injected into the blood stream to work, as you said, David. The venom also contains small molecules like histamine and other inflammatory compounds. If birds handle this the same way as humans, they produce an enzyme called diamine oxidase that degrades the histamine and forms a barrier against it getting into the blood and cells. There is a second degradation enzyme in the cells that works by another reaction. Histamine is a normal part of human diets (and birds, probably), and is metabolically regulated. It is concentrated and used in certain types of cells where it regulates inflammation. That's probably a lot more than you wanted to know. But if it isn't, here is an informative website: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8469513/
An excellent question, Teri, but one I do not know the answer to. Perhaps the difference is an injection directly into the bloodstream versus the reactive agents in saliva and stomach acids that would break the poison down into something less toxic... Just spitballing.
I'm so grateful that you're here and asking questions... exactly the best sort of play.
First, I love the clever title! Second, a former student I know did a study on purple martin prey vs. foraging height (https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0059). They preyed a lot on fire ant queens during mating flights, but the study was more general too. It's an interesting paper--- they mounted altitude, time, and barometric pressure loggers on the martins, and then related those variable to what the birds caught.
Oh, mercy me, Walter. That was absolutely fascinating. 🙏 Thank you for adding such a feast of information to this tale. (Ps: how weird that red-headed woodpeckers are a part of both observation sets.😉). Oh yes, and thank you for your generous nod, re: the title.
“aubergine odds” 😀 love it!
Yellow and black crudités. Hehe. Maybe the sour patch kids of the avian diet. Thank you for this little nugget of delight today!
David, you are a never ending fount of knowledge and enjoyment. Our cup runneth over!!!
After a busy morning, this is a wondrous treat for me! Purple Martins are not common here in Walla Walla, so this is a quite a fun thread---I love all the details of how they (and the woodpeckers) handle Yellowjacket stingers and digest venom. And such beautiful pics! My fave is the "No...it's not safe yet." feeding. What a groovy post all 'round, Dave, with being-stung stories included...yours sounds totes scary, though...
In my early days of gardening I made the huge mistake of spraying water at a swarm of wasps. They, of course, got angry and started attacking me going up inside my shorts. I ended up with more stings than I could count and discovered how fast I could take off my shorts and underwear and dash bare ass into my house! Lesson learned.
Thank for sharing this about these brave skillful Purple Martins and the photos. 🫶🏼
As a kid one summer when Dad was teaching at Ole Miss, I stepped into a ground nest of red hornets who swarmed me and stung me silly. I started to go into shock, but thankfully we were visiting the University’s entomologist’s home and he and his wife, very savvy tossed me into a bathtub of cold water and tossed in every bit of ice they had. It was a wild ride, as, quite obviously you know all too well.
Thanks for adding to the picnic, Vickie.
David thanks for this enlightening info re purple martins. Do not know if they are in the state of Florida but I like reading about all things in nature. Interesting on the food choices and wonder why the actual venom in the sting does not bother them when they are eaten. Is there something in the digestive system that neutralizes it so they are not harmed?
Teri and David, wasp venoms are mostly proteins, and these would be denatured and hydrolyzed in the digestive system. They must be injected into the blood stream to work, as you said, David. The venom also contains small molecules like histamine and other inflammatory compounds. If birds handle this the same way as humans, they produce an enzyme called diamine oxidase that degrades the histamine and forms a barrier against it getting into the blood and cells. There is a second degradation enzyme in the cells that works by another reaction. Histamine is a normal part of human diets (and birds, probably), and is metabolically regulated. It is concentrated and used in certain types of cells where it regulates inflammation. That's probably a lot more than you wanted to know. But if it isn't, here is an informative website: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8469513/
Walter, you continue to delight and surprise. I’m so grateful for these added glimpses.
Sure deal, David. Happy to be of service to your enjoyable essays. Lotsa fun.
You just reminded me--- my friend Ray used to call me a ragbag of useless facts. He said it with affection.
That research you shared did not seem ragbag, and definitely not useless. You’re a treasure!
Thanks for the very interesting explanation of what is probably happening. I will read the additional info you provided later today.
An excellent question, Teri, but one I do not know the answer to. Perhaps the difference is an injection directly into the bloodstream versus the reactive agents in saliva and stomach acids that would break the poison down into something less toxic... Just spitballing.
I'm so grateful that you're here and asking questions... exactly the best sort of play.
Stomach acids sound plausible since it can digest food and also cause ulcers to the stomach so it is like a battery acid.
First, I love the clever title! Second, a former student I know did a study on purple martin prey vs. foraging height (https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0059). They preyed a lot on fire ant queens during mating flights, but the study was more general too. It's an interesting paper--- they mounted altitude, time, and barometric pressure loggers on the martins, and then related those variable to what the birds caught.
Oh, mercy me, Walter. That was absolutely fascinating. 🙏 Thank you for adding such a feast of information to this tale. (Ps: how weird that red-headed woodpeckers are a part of both observation sets.😉). Oh yes, and thank you for your generous nod, re: the title.
There are no Purple Martins near me so I've not had the pleasure to watch them. I had no idea about their hunting skills. Thank you for the education!
I wonder how the rainbow tastes? Spicy perhaps, tangy and crunchy maybe! Gorgeous photos David (of course!) 💛✨
Emily, I love that you read the captions, you lovely soul. So generous and ready to join in on the fun. Thank you for the delightful ways you show up.
They are captions worth reading and most definitely add to the fun 😊💛✨
Astoundingly beautiful photos, as always, David. Thanks so much!
You've welcome, Kathy. I'm so pleased that you're here.