The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1847-09-04
Number 81.
Insect slavery.

Inc most remarkable fact connected with
the history Of ants, is the propensity possessed
BY certain species to kidnap the workers 81
other species and compel them 10 labor for ths
benefit Of the cOmmunit thus using them
completely as slaves; and as far as We vel
know, the kidhappers are red, or pale colorea
ants, and the slaves, like the natives Of Africa,
are of a jet black. The time for turning
SLAVES extends over a period Of about ten
weeks, and never commences until the male
and female are about emerging from the pupd
state; and thus the ruthless marauders never
Interfere with the continuation Of the species.
This instinct seems specially provided; fof
were the slave ants created for no other end
than to fllthe station Of slavery to which they
appear to be doomed, still even that ofices suse
fail were the attacks to be nude on their nests
before the winged myriads have departed ofarg
departing, charged with the duty Of continuing
their kind. When the red ants are about I'd
sally forth on a mdrauding expedition they
send scouts to ascertain the exact position id
which a colony of negroes may be found
These scouts having discovered the Object Of
their search, return to the nest and report their
success.
Shortly afterwards the atmy of red ants
marches forth, headed by a vanguard, which Is
perpetually changing; the individuals which
constitute it, when they have advanced a little
before the main body, halting, falling into the
rear, and being replaced by otl ers. The van-
guard consists of eight or ten ants only
When they have arrived near the negro colony,
they ~disperse, wandering through the heritage
and hunting about, as aware Of the prCpinquitf
Of the object of their search, yet ignorant of
its exact position. At last they discover the
settlement and the foremost Of the INVADERS
rushing inpetuousIy to the attack, are met;
g%rappled with, and frequently killed by the
negroes on guard. The alarm is quickly com-
municated to the interior Of the nest; the neA
groes sally forth by thousands; and the red
ants rush TO the rescue, a desperate conflict
%ensues; which, however, always terminate in
the defeat Of the negroes, who retire TO the
innermost recesses Of their habitatlon, Now
: follows the scene of pillage.
The red ants, with their powerful mandibles,
tear open the sides Of the negro ant hills, and
rush into the heart of the citadel, In a few
minutes each invader emerges, carrying in its
mouth the pupa of a worker negro. which it
has obtained in spite Of the vigilance and valOE
t of its natural guardians. The red ants return
e in perfect order to their nest, bearing with
? them their living burdens. On reaching the
e nest the pupa appears to be treated precisely as
r their own; and the workers, when they g.
merge, perform the various duties Of the COM
munity with the greatest energy and apparent
. good will. They repair the neat, excuvate pas
6 sages, feed the lorv@, take the pupa into the
sunshine, and perform every Office which the
welfare of the colony seems to require. They
, conduct themselves entirely as If fulfilling
their original destination. -MsWatGn's History
: Of Insects.