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Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 9:52 AM

Hello CR4!

Take a look of this 'dust' sampling taken from the dash of a vehicle. Can anyone say what this might be?

A coworker says this 'dusting' appears on his dash every few days. He keeps a real clean vehicle and he was thinking it may be insulation or some other fiber.

It looks more like bug or plant parts to me. Any educated guess out there?

Thanks in advance, Hellcat

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#1

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 10:06 AM

Look for critters hiding stuff in your air system under the hood.

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#2
In reply to #1

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 10:14 AM

Critters may be responsible, but what is it? animal or bug byproduct?

I forgot to mention this was taken under a microscope. The actual particles are the size of a flea.

Apologies for omitting the scale of the particles...

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#4
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 10:34 AM

In that case, tell him to get a bottle of Armorall and clean the dash every couple days.

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#8
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 1:35 PM

Well, ArmorAll is not a good substance for dashes.

Better to attack the problem at the source. I think that the stuff is coming from the vents where rodents or bugs have set up shop.

If he doesn't want to do the dirty work himself, take the car to the dealer and have the vents inspected and cleaned.

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#3

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 10:24 AM

Those are alien spores come from outer space to steal our souls nothing - they are nothing at all.

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#5
In reply to #3

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 10:56 AM

I prefer the alien spores over the nothing answer, if it was nothing how did I get a picture of it? Don't they use corn-husks in some insulations? Maybe it's plant related...

I'll try not to imagine more nothings onto the screen in the future

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#6
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 11:02 AM

It's surely plant spores of some sort.

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#29
In reply to #5

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/07/2008 4:17 PM

Hi Hellcat

Collect an amount so that you are able to roast them. If it is plant matter it will have a distinct smell. If insect, or animal the smell will be different. If alien, the smell would be like burning flea Pooh. What ever it is, it looks dehydrated. Put it in soil and see what happens after a few days. One sample in the dark one in a light place. It's alive, it's alive. Ky.

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#7

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 11:21 AM

another view...

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#9

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 1:45 PM

Arrrggh ... fatal mistake ... you havn't included anythingin the pic to show us an idea of scale.. ( small coin or a pin would help )

Could be anything from pollen grains to Dragon's scales... depending on the actual size.

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#10
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 2:06 PM

So sorry Del, see post 2. (flea sized)

I realized my error, but had to move on to other things.

So you know where I can get some dragon scales?

Meow!

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#11
In reply to #10

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 2:15 PM

Yes. Go to Puff's Weight Loss Clinic. They have several, all with bad zeros.

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#12
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 2:27 PM

I was thinking more along the lines of shed skin, more like a snake. I could make some Dragon Armor to fend off Del's deadly arrow strikes. He is one sharp aiming cat.

But your humor does not go unappreciated

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#15
In reply to #12

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 2:37 PM

One of the body armor people makes a vest that uses high tech dragon scales.

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#17
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 5:15 PM

Sorry I missed post #2 ... but then again you havn't seen the size of some of my fleas

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#22
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/07/2008 6:56 AM

No problem Del, you were right about a reference object.

I'll send you a special 'Kudos Flea Repelling Collar'

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#13

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 2:33 PM

They look like plant material to me. Just carries on the air and settles in your relative wind free car.

Why don't you take a large air sample from where you drive most and see under the microscope what you can collect that way. I am sure you will find the same stuff (if you look long enough).

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#14

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 2:37 PM

I agree the pictures do remind me of plant seeds or spores etc...

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#16
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 3:03 PM

Great, lets leave it at that then. Maybe I'll get another sample and see what happens when I hydrate them.

Del, I'll try and remember the ever important 'relative size to a commonly known object' next time.

Cheers, Hellcat

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#18

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 5:47 PM

Looks like Clover seed with the hulls on.

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#19

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 7:25 PM

Does he have an outside air filter in the vehicle? Has it been change recently? It may have a hole in it allowing plant material to get in..

Just an idea.. I am may be wrong, been wrong before....

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#20

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 11:21 PM

Sounds like u got a ventilation (system) leak! Have him check outside air pickup system for leaks/open joints, etc. (look at air intake system especially if there is one just below the windshield (in the wiper housing area).

Donzi

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#21

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/06/2008 11:57 PM

They look like seeds to me. Try planting them on wet cotton wool and keep them in the sun.

If they have come from the air whilst driving the car, the air filter on the carburetter will likely be full of them.

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#23

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/07/2008 7:58 AM

Does this guy park outside downwind of some type of plant that produces this kind of seed husk? I don't recognize it but I've had this kind of thing happen with other varieties of plants.

Of course the alien spores theory is interesting, but it's probably nothing, nothing at all.

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#24

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/07/2008 8:42 AM

It would help to know where in the world/country this happened. I concur it more resembles plant-related material than insect parts. Could be wind-borne seeds of some sort, but flea-sized is large for fern or fungus spores, even more large for pollen grains. What kinds of trees are nearby when it is parked? What kinds of flowering plants/shrubs?

Is the dash the only place they appear? The more background available, the better the forensic guessing. Really difficult to tell from a photo, but some of the earlier suggestions are valid - place on wet cotton batting, see if they hydrate and swell, or sprout.

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#30
In reply to #24

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/08/2008 7:34 AM

Will do

I'll have to wait a few days to get more samplings as my colleague is out for jury duty. The person travels allot, so I will get more detail on where the vehicle has been and when this started to occur.

I can only narrow it down to Eastern side USA at the moment.

Thanks for the suggestions, Hellcat

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#31
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/08/2008 10:40 AM

Lucky for you it is Eastern. If it were Western you would have opened a can of worms with regards to the chances of the dust being from Lincoln County, area 51.

It's life Jim, but not as we know it.

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#32
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/08/2008 10:51 AM

"It's life Jim, but not as we know it."

I've been to Area 51, and I can safely say:

"He's dead, Jim!"

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#33
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/08/2008 11:46 AM

Looks like cottonwood seed to me. Ya'll.

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#25

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/07/2008 9:01 AM

I see 24 answers, several of which propose the valid suggestion of trying to make them sprout (thus proving 'seed' or spore) ... and yet, I haven't seen any suggestion to whisk them off to an expert in THAT arena (i.e., Ag Center, or local college Bio prof) ...

Does CR4 need to initiate an "MD" section, Horticulture section ... maybe a "Name That Fungus!" section...? ...?

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#26

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/07/2008 9:42 AM

In adition to trying to sprout them, throw some into your lunch and see if you exhibit any physical or psychological/mood changes over the next week or so. Feats of superhuman strength or other abilities (Fantastic Four). Or perhaps a swollen belly (Alien). Abnoxious farting (Dreamcatcher). scaly skin (Dragon Born). Large eyes (The Fly). Formlessness (The Blob). Enhanced vision (Spiderman). wings (The Moth)

These would be key indicators

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#27
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/07/2008 11:34 AM

Or all of the above ?

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#34
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/11/2008 7:02 AM

Bah-Hahahaha thanks for the laugh

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#28

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/07/2008 11:46 AM

Perhaps there is an infestation inside the Heater Ducts!

Try holding some white cheesecloth over the heat vents and turning on the blower.

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#35

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/13/2008 8:52 PM

Those might be, the very rare, "Spring Blossom Tree Leaves" from the ancient temple of a forgone empire. If you freeze them for 2 weeks and then defrost them in the Re-Hydration box, (in the fridge), for 2 days; they will split once planted, in dark fertile soil.

The freezing process will break the genetic code and allow them to produce walking trees of extraordinary proportion. Don't be surprised if they don't grow, the ratio of actual seed to worthless husk, is extreme.

Lucky Yew!

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#36
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/14/2008 2:59 AM

I grew some of them..but the buggers legged it overnight

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#37
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/14/2008 8:47 AM

hahahahahaha hehehehe LOL

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#38
In reply to #35

Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/14/2008 8:56 AM

OK, I tried it. Worked great! Had my own army of Tree Ents until Mother Nature intervened and froze them in their tracks. Poor trees, the weight of the ice M.N. encased them in broke off all their limbs...

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#39
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/14/2008 9:24 AM

Dern it! That's what the Weather Channel's for! Past 2 mornings I've had frost on my windshield in the morning. Unconscionable here in Florida!

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#40
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/14/2008 9:55 AM

Frost would be a nice change compared to, say, an inch of ice...

Although, it is amazing to see.

It looks like a crystal forest . Wish I had a pic to show but I had to use all my batteries from the toys to shed some light on things. For some reason when the trees de-branch themselves the power goes out... Thankfully work has power.

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#41
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Re: Dash Dusting or Invasion?

02/14/2008 11:44 AM

No worries, I've seen my share of winter wonderland scenery. Born & raised in Iowa, lived in No. Calif. and Cent'l. Colo., so I've seen the deep stuff in the Sierras & Rockies. Also spent (winter)time in So. Dakota & Washington (state). You are welcome to my share!

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