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Daft myths that won't die?


chrisjpainter
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A volunteer on our reserve piped up with the 'fact' that daddy long legs are the most poisonous things in the animal kingdom, it's just that their fangs are nowhere near long enough to penetrate human skin. wrong on so many levels, but it got me thinking about what other 'facts' are out there that just simply won't die!

 

any others?

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I think you can blame Ricky Gervais for that one, seem to remember it was in his Animals show.

 

I still know a few people that flash their lights at traffic lights because they think it makes them change. The logic is that it forces the lights to change when an ambulance needs to get through.

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I think you can blame Ricky Gervais for that one, seem to remember it was in his Animals show.

 

I still know a few people that flash their lights at traffic lights because they think it makes them change. The logic is that it forces the lights to change when an ambulance needs to get through.

I know!!! Was behind someone flashing their lights yesterday as they approached the lights and they changed! Would have just made him flash at the next set, the idiot!!!

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Never heard that before in my life.

No I hadn't either until that time! but apparently it is a thing. What's more concerning is one of the ex-Wildlife Trainees jumped to her defence and backed it up! So much for spending a year studying and working with wildlife! Traineeship well used...

Edited by chrisjpainter
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No I hadn't either until that time! but apparently it is a thing. What's more concerning is one of the ex-Wildlife Trainees jumped to her defence and backed it up! So much for spending a year studying and working with wildlife! Traineeship well used...

Not 100% but I think there is a very poisonous crane fly but not the ones we have in this country.

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A volunteer on our reserve piped up with the 'fact' that daddy long legs are the most poisonous things in the animal kingdom, it's just that their fangs are nowhere near long enough to penetrate human skin. wrong on so many levels, but it got me thinking about what other 'facts' are out there that just simply won't die!

 

any others?

 

That has been around for years, surprising that nobody has ever caught a few and extracted that truly powerful "venom"!

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I think you can blame Ricky Gervais for that one, seem to remember it was in his Animals show.

 

I still know a few people that flash their lights at traffic lights because they think it makes them change. The logic is that it forces the lights to change when an ambulance needs to get through.

hello, that just about sums him up !!!!! so how do traffic lights change ? i do not mean the static ones just the mobile road work type

Edited by oldypigeonpopper
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That has been around for years, surprising that nobody has ever caught a few and extracted that truly powerful "venom"!

. Watched a fella on tv put it to the test it may have been Adam Savage on myth busters iirc got bit lots of times from daddy long legs on his hand and forearm and only suffered some red marks and blotches. Edited by figgy
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hello, that just about sums him up !!!!! so how do traffic lights change ? i do not mean the static ones just the mobile road work type

 

They are operated by a timing device.They are also supposed to have a device on the top which detects a car approaching. These soon stop working with all the man handling they get and are never replaced or repaired during that set of lights working life.

 

Permanent traffic lights have cables set in the road to do the same job.

Edited by fern01
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As far as the daddy long legs myth goes . . .

 

"Old wives tales say Daddy Long Legs have the most dangerous venom in the world - but cannot bite. This is only half true; a crane fly cannot bite you as it does not have a mouth. It is thought the fear of their venom comes as a result of the ir being mixed up with the American recluse spider - which is extremely venomous - and is also nicknamed the daddy long legs."

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Found this little snippet;

 

Craneflies and Opiliones, aka harvestmen, are not venomous at all and don't pose any threat to humans.

The daddy long-legs from the spider family, Pholcus phalangioides, does have venom glands, however there is no scientific evidence to confirm that the venom is harmful to humans.

I think the spiders you refer to are commonly grouped together as "Cellar " spiders.

Edited by TIGHTCHOKE
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Found this little snippet;

 

Craneflies and Opiliones, aka harvestmen, are not venomous at all and don't pose any threat to humans.

The daddy long-legs from the spider family, Pholcus phalangioides, does have venom glands, however there is no scientific evidence to confirm that the venom is harmful to humans.

I think the spiders you refer to are commonly grouped together as "Cellar " spiders.

yeah, that's the science behind it.I think the Discovery channel managed to get P.phalangiodes to bite one of their presenters. it stung for a few seconds but that was it.

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yeah, that's the science behind it.I think the Discovery channel managed to get P.phalangiodes to bite one of their presenters. it stung for a few seconds but that was it.

 

How did they manage to wind poor old P.phalangiodes up to do that?

Edited by TIGHTCHOKE
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I think he must of been referring to the Harvestman Spider, also known as daddy longlegs.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opiliones

 

A volunteer on our reserve piped up with the 'fact' that daddy long legs are the most poisonous things in the animal kingdom, it's just that their fangs are nowhere near long enough to penetrate human skin. wrong on so many levels, but it got me thinking about what other 'facts' are out there that just simply won't die!

 

any others?

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They are operated by a timing device.They are also supposed to have a device on the top which detects a car approaching. These soon stop working with all the man handling they get and are never replaced or repaired during that set of lights working life.

 

Permanent traffic lights have cables set in the road to do the same job.

hello, those with a built in sensor can be changed by a car light

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