# So what are these weird black masses (erroneously called "tick nests") on the forest floor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 4, 2019, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-are-these-weird-black-masses-erroneously-called-tick-nests-on-the-forest-floor/835038 "2019-06-04T22:20:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-are-these-weird-black-masses-erroneously-called-tick-nests-on-the-forest-floor/835038/21 "2019-06-05T19:12:56Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Given that this is a daycare, it sounds like there’s the potential for an educational experience here. Scoop some up (together with the woodchips it’s growing on), put it in an aquarium, and wait to see what it does. “Me-Tee-Or shit!” ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-are-these-weird-black-masses-erroneously-called-tick-nests-on-the-forest-floor/835038/22 "2019-06-05T19:33:43Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > I think you nailed it. Credit goes to **beowulff** for the suggestion. I just provided a picture. > [@Chronos](#): > > Given that this is a daycare, it sounds like there’s the potential for an educational experience here. Scoop some up (together with the woodchips it’s growing on), put it in an aquarium, and wait to see what it does. It would be funny if you did this and it was just animal poo. ---
**Author:** ![brossa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brossa/32/3040_2.png) [@brossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brossa)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-are-these-weird-black-masses-erroneously-called-tick-nests-on-the-forest-floor/835038/23 "2019-06-06T01:34:51Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Given that this is a daycare, it sounds like there’s the potential for an educational experience here. Scoop some up (together with the woodchips it’s growing on), put it in an aquarium, and wait to see what it does. Like they did at my son’s daycare, when they put all the monarch butterfly chrysalises from the milkweeds outside in an aquarium, so the kids could witness the beautiful miracle of dozens of tiny wasps hatching from each (parasitized) one? ---
**Author:** ![txjim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f07891/32.png) [@txjim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txjim)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-are-these-weird-black-masses-erroneously-called-tick-nests-on-the-forest-floor/835038/24 "2019-06-06T13:05:50Z")
> [@brossa](#): > > Like they did at my son’s daycare, when they put all the monarch butterfly chrysalises from the milkweeds outside in an aquarium, so the kids could witness the beautiful miracle of dozens of tiny wasps hatching from each (parasitized) one? The Circle of Life! ---
**Author:** ![brossa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brossa/32/3040_2.png) [@brossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brossa)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-are-these-weird-black-masses-erroneously-called-tick-nests-on-the-forest-floor/835038/25 "2019-06-06T16:25:15Z")
> [@txjim](#): > > The Circle of Life! The circle of oblivious children and shrieking teachers… ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-are-these-weird-black-masses-erroneously-called-tick-nests-on-the-forest-floor/835038/26 "2019-06-06T20:26:44Z")
> [@txjim](#): > > The Circle of Life! “And so the endless cycle of life comes to an end - meaningless and grim. Why did they live and why did they die? No reason. . . . For in the end, nature is horrific and teaches us nothing.” -Futurama. ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-are-these-weird-black-masses-erroneously-called-tick-nests-on-the-forest-floor/835038/27 "2019-06-06T22:44:13Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Before you destroy it all… what does it taste like? > > Maybe volunteer one of the braver kids? “Let’s give it to Mikey, he’ll eat anything!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-are-these-weird-black-masses-erroneously-called-tick-nests-on-the-forest-floor/835038.md?page=1)