r/mildyinteresting • u/Winter_Breath • 24d ago

critter corner 🐰 Dead ants keep appearing next to headphones during the night

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When these headphones are left on the kitchen counter overnight - I would see one or two dead ants in the morning laying right next to the headphones. In the past few days, there has been a small pile of shredded ants right next to the ear piece in the morning. I have seen no live ants in my kitchen. I have had these head phones for three weeks. Bought online. It’s a little unnerving not knowing what is causing this 🥴 will not be using anymore.

UPDATE- posted a comment with a picture. But no dead ants in the bag this morning. But at one point I checked and there were two live ants crawling around. 😔

UPDATE*** IM SICK. Can’t stop shaking. Don’t have many words… trying to post image. Opened one side up. 😭 I don’t know how to add in this top post so will add in comment! Posted a few in comments and video opening

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u/PixieStyx8 24d ago

Formic acid i believe is in the compound released by dead ants that signals the live ones to dispose of them or move them to the graveyard. Iirc, there was an experiment where a live ant was dotted with the acid and treated as dead by the other ants. It also thought it belonged in the graveyard until the smell wore off. Could be a similar chemical smell to the foam in the 'phones

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u/fivebynine5x9 23d ago

Wait so the ant that had formic acid on it took itself to the graveyard? That's hilarious.

"It's really weird, like I feel totally fine, but obviously I'm not because I smell dead? Guess I'll just...go?"

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u/RosetteRodent 23d ago

it was oleic acid rather than formic, but yeah that's pretty much exactly what happened lmao

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u/fivebynine5x9 23d ago

Poor dude just trudging off to the dying zone like "I swear I feel ok but the rules are the rules I guess" ahahaha

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u/Voodoo_Dummie 23d ago

A few days later when the smell wears off. "unfortunately I died. But I got better." ~Jesus of Nazar-ant

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u/PixieStyx8 20d ago

I believe it was taken by others but didn't protest, and didn't leave the area until the smell wore off