Tell us your Thai ant stories...

**Bettyboo** · 22-01-2014, 09:21 PM

(This may or may not be the correct forum...)

The first time I visited the missus' land, which is about 9 rai, I went for a walk around it with the missus and FiL. It was hot, so I stopped under the shade of a nice big mango tree. The missus and the FiL stayed in the sun, silly sods... They were both paying more attention to me than usual, turning their bodies to face me, interested in what I had to say and my general movements. Then, I started to be bitten on the foot. I wasn't sure why, so I moved further under the tree for protection, the two Thais seemed to really enjoy this, as I tried to swat some horrible little insects off my sandal clad foot while learning against the tree for support (in fact they both started to laugh at this point). Then I started to be bitten on the shoulders, back, head, legs, everywhere, nasty little bites, hurtful little bites. As I frantically waved my arms in every direction, hoping from foot to foot trying to rid meself of these horrible little invaders, the two Thais were in fits of laughter, not lifting a finger to help me. Then, with a sense of pity (and somewhat against the wishes of me missus) the FiL beckoned me into the sun, not sure why, but decided to do as he said; being that he'd lived on that land all of his life... Within 30 seconds, all the biting had stopped and the horrible little buggers had buggered off, as I later found out, to their home, the mango tree which they violently protect.

Here they are, weaver ants:

Wanting to get away from the tree, I decided to walk through the fields, but within a minute or two had a sharp pain in my toe. One of these little, or rather not so little, bastards:

Actually, I don't think it was quite this big, and I'm not sure what type of ant it was, but it was big, at least half an inch, black and seemed to sting me rather than bite me - left a little hole in me toe; seemed to be a singular ant, couldn't see any others around.

Of course, there's the microscopic fire ants that invaded my Bkk flat once...

**somtamslap** · 23-01-2014, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

weaver ants:

The bane of my life for a year were those mot daeng.

The award for the biggest twat however goes to the Mot Daeng Fai.

They hurt.

**Bettyboo** · 23-01-2014, 05:47 PM

^thank you for your reply, Scribe Slaps. I do feel honoured. Although, it's not a story as such; coming from you, a legendary TD story weaver, I'd be tempted to ask for more, but you're probably very busy working on the next installment of Malcolm's Visit to Thailand...

**somtamslap** · 23-01-2014, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

but you're probably very busy working

Absolutely. I had a five-second window and just about managed to rattle out that response...and this one.

Eating Thai ants. Now there's a tale worth regaling.

**Bettyboo** · 23-01-2014, 05:55 PM

^the missus loves 'em too, but not as much as the live baby shrimps grown in pesticide ridden rivers/lakes/holes...

**Necron99** · 23-01-2014, 05:59 PM

"my sandal clad foot"

**Dillinger** · 23-01-2014, 06:11 PM

I used to get a lot of ants around the bathroom sink. They like toothpaste or jizz

**Bettyboo** · 23-01-2014, 06:16 PM

^^ when in Thailand...

^erm, no comment...

**Rural Surin** · 23-01-2014, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by somtamslap

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

weaver ants:

The bane of my life for a year were those mot daeng.

The award for the biggest twat however goes to the Mot Daeng Fai.

They hurt.

But they taste quite delectable aside some things.

**Dillinger** · 23-01-2014, 07:10 PM

This looks like it would be right up Slappers street

Eggs and soup.

See if you can spot the funny black joke in there

Just before we left Laos my wife cooked up some Gaeng Kai Mot Daeng next door at her sisters house. We stayed at that house for a couple of months back in 01 before Creag was born. They have a gas burner but like most in Vientiane prefer the charcoal. It’s cheaper and burns very hot. Smokes up the kitchen a little, oh well.

Above cooking up the soup in Bien's kitchen in 07

Geang Kai Mot Dang has to be about as unweird a type of insect food as I’ve ever eaten. The thing it reminded me of the most was the popular Tom Yung Koon that you can buy in any Thai restaurant in the world. The texture of the eggs is a little like soggy puffed rice. No crunchy legs and heads as with most insects.
I didn’t think we would still be around when it was time to get the ant eggs. The nest was in a bush out our back door. I’d kind of forgotten that we were even going to eat them, but I did keep a distance from the nest Creagy got bit once, he steered clear of them ever since. It's like being stung by a bee. Back in November I took a picture of an ant up close and personal.

The white in the background is the nest.
Separating the eggs from the soldier ants requires a bucket of water. When the eggs and nest are in the water the adult ants lie still and even clump up in the water. They aren’t dead just saving their energies. You don’t want to just throw them in the trash or you’ll have a trash can full of angry red ants when you come back. Inevitably some of the ants get left with the eggs, it’s said that’s where the sour taste comes from.
Knowing I don’t like the tiny freshwater fish with millions of tiny bones, Sengthian added beef to the soup. Tasted pretty good, I always think Lao beef is a little gamey anyway, went well with the sour and slightly fishy taste. The other ingredients were the usual suspects. Tomatoes, green onions, tamarind leaves, bai kii hoot, hot peppers, kah, pak wan, home peaow. No ginger, fish sauce or lime juice.

On the plate up top is the chopped beef, below it the ant eggs which are white, and down at the bottom of the plate a few kafir lime leaves. Below the plate is home paeow, and above the plate is pak wan (sweet leaves).

If you look closely in the center of the photo you can see one of the adult ants that made it into the soup. A couple are ok, adds sour, too many is too much.
The soup is light but flavorful with a flavor not unlike shrimp, the bits of hot pepper add fireworks when chewed. The perfect seasonal soup as the eggs are produced in the hot season when the temperatures can be very hot.

Daily Kos: Ant Egg Soup (Gaeng Kai Mot Daeng)

**Roobarb** · 23-01-2014, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by Dillinger

I used to get a lot of ants around the bathroom sink. They like toothpaste or jizz

Originally Posted by Rural Surin

But they taste quite delectable aside some things.

I hope it's the taste of minty freshness that you're referring to RS

**barrylad66** · 23-01-2014, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

^the missus loves 'em too, but not as much as the live baby shrimps grown in pesticide ridden rivers/lakes/holes...

the wife loves those little shrimpy things too, and i have to admit i have partaken on a few occasions, and not too bad with some fresh veg

**klong toey** · 23-01-2014, 07:21 PM

Gert makes a nice ant egg soup.
I remember one morning getting up having a shower,we were of to a wedding starting out at the Landmark in Bangkok.Our condo was on the third floor.
Had my shower grabbed the towel next thing felt like i was on fire,bloody ants got in my towel i was covered in bites.
Can't say i enjoyed sitting down whilst the monks dd their thing chucking water and the likes.
I just needed a good scratch to ease my pain.

**Bettyboo** · 23-01-2014, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by barrylad66

i have to admit i have partaken on a few occasions

Don't do it, cancer city from those...

Originally Posted by klong toey

Had my shower grabbed the towel next thing felt like i was on fire,bloody ants got in my towel i was covered in bites.

Good story. Are the couple still happily married, or was it a bad omen?

**klong toey** · 23-01-2014, 09:03 PM

^No couple are still together,must be at least 8 years since the deed was completed.

**Bettyboo** · 23-01-2014, 09:14 PM

Ant attacks are a positive omen - there's unexpected good news!

**Norton** · 23-01-2014, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by klong toey

Gert makes a nice ant egg soup.

So does my old Thai auntie. The ants get nasty when she collects main ingredient. A bit of calamine lotion and she's good to go.

**Bettyboo** · 24-01-2014, 03:26 AM

^a nice looking lady there, Norts.

**somtamslap** · 24-01-2014, 08:35 AM

As a youth I consumed an entire red ant colony with my anus.

**kingwilly** · 24-01-2014, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by somtamslap

As a youth I consumed an entire red ant colony with my anus.

Consumed?

They went up it ?

I just burned the fuckers.

**baldrick** · 24-01-2014, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by somtamslap

As a youth I consumed an entire red ant colony with my anus.

they were foraging the rotting meat ?

**somtamslap** · 24-01-2014, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by baldrick

they were foraging the rotting meat ?

Possibly. But they didn't bank on meeting my well-trained sphincter, as one by one they were systematically munched.

**withnallstoke** · 24-01-2014, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by somtamslap

But they didn't bank on meeting my well-trained sphincter, as one by one they were systematically munched.

Ants the world over have taken to building great structures.
They do this in homage to slappers munching sphincter.

**Bettyboo** · 24-01-2014, 06:20 PM

An unexpected turn to the thread... maybe not so unexpected...

Ants in Spain are fun, not as aggressive as Thai ants.

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