While still a doctoral candidate, Lin stumbled across one on the Huisun Farm, but couldn't find the nest in the earth nearby. He made over a dozen trips to the farm over the next several years, but came away empty handed each time.
唸博士班時他在惠蓀農場無意間採到一隻，但附近土壤卻遍尋不著蟻巢，其後幾年間他又去了十多趟，次次落空。