Can anyone shed some light on what this is and what caused it? A friend sent this image to me asking if I knew what it was, and while it is familiar as something an insect or rodent might do, I cannot find anything similar online to confirm.
He found it a couple of days ago on open floor space and apart from accidentally disturbing it earlier today it has not changed. It is approximately the size of a thumbprint and looks like common salt, however he has no salt like that in his apartment (the pieces are apparently too big to be sugar).
Has anyone seen something like this before?
(I've posted it in /an/ because I'm sure it is insect related. If I'm wrong, forgive me)
We have also entertained the possibility that his apartment is haunted and the ant version of the Winchester brothers have been to work, so /x/ is the next stop.
>>2152730
Its just salt
>>2152733
Yes, we accepted it may be salt, however salt does not usually appear randomly in tiny circles from an unknown source. Hence the question of what kind of insect or otherwise may have caused it.
>>2152737
in my limited experience, salt usually does appear in small circles, if it has crystallized from drops of water with a lot of salt dissolved in it. I always saw a pattern like this when I was evaporating salt water or sugar water on a slide under a microscope. Can't say if this happens on wood, however. Even if it is crystallized brine, you may not have a plausible source on the premises, so ... yeah.
Disregard this if the crystals are completely loose and not stuck to the surface. In which case, yes, /x/ may provide more amusing, if ludicrous, theories.
>>2152730
>A friend sent this image to me
Your friend is having some fun with you or you are a liar.
>>2152744
Thanks for actually providing a serious answer. The crystals are completely loose however, like they've been carried from somewhere and neatly arranged. If it was in a hidden away spot or a corner I would have assumed nesting material.
>>2152769
circle of salt?
you've got witches.