E.O. Wilson: "Anthill"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-04-22/eo-wilson-anthill
The first novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning biologist E. O. Wilson. It's the story of a boy transformed by an improbable love of ants. He risks everything, even his life, to save their pristine habitat in the wetlands of Alabama.
Guests
Edward O. Wilson
Pellegrino University Professor Emeritus at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, and author of "The Ants," "The Naturalist," and a "Nature Revealed: Selected Writings 1949-2006" (Johns Hopkins Press)
Comments
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We are being over run by exotic pests and diseases that are destroying crops and native flora and fauna. I wish this got as much attention as development and global warming. It is a crises! Our government is inept at preventing this.
Peter in Florida
Dr. Wilson,
Are you familiar with the French writer Bernard Webber who wrote a trilogy on ants that was very successful in Europe? If not, you should read them as they are fascinating. I'm looking forward to reading your book! Cheers.
Larry in DC
Listening to Mr. Wilson's description of his self-inflicted fire ant bites gave me cold chills and a rush of memories from a childhood in Alabama, accidently stepping in a mound of ants. I'm 40 yrs. old, but you never forget that terrible feeling of being stung by those ants.
I had the opportunity to briefly meet Professor Wilson at a book signing (for the release of Consilience) at Oberlin College, in Ohio a while back.
He is one of the reasons why I chose Biology as my major in college.
I am looking forward to reading his new book!! ....and adding it to our library among the many others that we have from E. O. Wilson.
Thank you for having him on your show, which I listen to nearly every weekday, Diane.
Nichole
(from Cleveland, OH)
I have to add my admiration for Dr. Wilson. I started a biodiversity group in Rappahannock County, Virginia, five years ago mainly as a result of reading his writings on biodiversity. When I helped our local library put together a conservation collection, I made sure "The Ants" and other works by him were included, although it meant divesting my collection of those works in the process. As a dealer in nature books, I'll track them down again to add them back into my collection of Dr. Wilson's works. He's so prolific that my collection is still a work in progress. Thanks for having him on. I hope to see him in person again soon.
We had ants in our kitchen and did not want to use anything to harm the toddler. Sprinkled cinnamon in the corner they were coming in and they never came back!
Great way to eliminate the kitchen migration of ants in spring: Electronic beepers (got mine at Home Depot) advertised for mice. SInce I started using it, no mice AND NO ANTS!! The beeping seems to repel them...
Good Luck!
Let me tell you how I successfully deal with ants in my kitchen, which works every time and doesn't harm a single antenna on their heads!
I carefully look for everything that might be the reason for their visit, which is not too hard to figure out. I simply put ihat away, clean it up or whatever, and they just leave. And we all live happily ever after!
Dave
In the Bible there is a quotation in the book pf proverbs that says "Go to the ant thou sluggard, consider their ways and be wise." Ants for long have been very wise even wiser and more disciplined than some higher animals that I know.
YES! And now we are aware that these ants communicate to each other and now to us, thanks to the likes of E.O. Wilson. In the beginning was the Word. I once thought the Word belonged to humanity alone. I'll rethink that.
Thank you for introducing me to Dr. Wilson. I am most grateful to the DR Show for wonderful intellectual stimulation for this stay at home mom of toddlers! I was so intrigued by this quote I listened again online (1st time) so I could get it right; and share. It's my new favorite.
Why is biodiversity important? “Because Humanity is a biological species, living in a biological environment, because like all species we are exquisitely adapted in everything, from our behavior, to our genetics, to our physiology, to that particular environment in which we live. The Earth is our home; the rest of life is a critical part of that home. Unless we preserve the rest of life as a sacred duty, we will be endangering ourselves by destroying the home in which we evolved and on which we completely depend.”
E.O. Wilson
April 22, 2010
I came in on the middle of the show and did not catch whether the British film, "Phase IV" was mentioned or not. It is a science fiction film about ants (and possibly other social insects) battling Man. It has the most amazing photography of ants - pre CGI! Check it out.
literature reviews on biodiversity of anthill/termitarium. u can send mails to odyudom@live.com
I absolutely can not believe we're wasting good air time talking about saving ants. Spray em' all I say. Wison has an ant fetish while there are people dying from starvation around the world. Give me a break.
Thank you for the rebroadcast.
Here are two Alabama links that
seem especially appropriate right now:
http://blog.locustfork.net/2010/12/the-first-white-christmas-ever-in-bir...
http://blog.locustfork.net/2010/12/video-white-christmas-birmingham-ala-...