The Mountaineer. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1859-1861, 1860-12-29
HABITS OF ANTS.

n q
THERE are two points ia the history @
ant. which are yearly Il not quite peeuiia
to the tribe. Que OF these Is the habit 0
certain species 10 eHslaSe ants Of .. diIier
tent species; the other is their habit q
tmhkiug use Of an entirely different tribe
! the arAtdss, or plant lice, to kurvey anl
/ prepare their food for them. 1: ......' -.
Tue kidnapping habit has been chief,
observed in The red ants; those which aFt
lenslatcd being Of q jet-black. The tim,
/ for capturing slaves extends over periOd
lef about ten weeks, aud never commences
until thR male and fenigle auts are about
icetHiDg forth from the pupa state; aud
thus the inarauders neyor interfere with
the continuation Of the race Of the tribes
lthcy spIjugntc. This appears to be a
special adaptation Of their peculiar III.
sriuct for If the attacks were made on
! the nests of the negro ants Gas they have
been called before those by whom the
race Is propagatcd are ready 10 shift for
themselves lheSe communities must speed.
/ ly become. extinct. When the red ants
are about 10 sally forth on maraudiHg
expedition, they send scouts to ascertain
1.-The exact position in which a colony Of
negro ants may be found; these scouts
having discovered the object Of their
search, return 10 the nest, and seem TO re-
port their success. Shortly afterwurd, tile
army Of red ants marches forth, headed
by Vang guard composed Of eight or ten
a,ns only; this is continually changed
tho individuals which constitute ii hating
When they have advanced little before
the main body, failing to the rear, aud
then being replaced by Others. Wien
they arrive near the negro colony they
d,SperSe. wandering through the heritage,
aud huatiug about, as il aware Of the
ucighb0rhood Of the object oil their search,
tyet igR0rant Of its exact position. At
last they discover the settlement, and the
foremost Of the invaders rushing impetu'
ousIy to tue attack, are mt, grappled
with, aud frequently killed by the negroes
/ on guard. Tie alarm is quickly comnru.
! nicatcd to the interior OF the nest; the
negroes sally forth by thousands; and the
red ants rushing to the rescue, a desperate
n COllittl tllshts, hLlNtg HOhtNtI, hlNhJS
Terminates IN the defeat Of the negroes,
who retire to the innsrm0st roceSSes Of
their habitatiOu. Now follows the scene
Of pillage The red ants, with their power,
Enl Blandibles, tear open the sides Of the
NEGRO ant-hiii and rush into the heart ot
tile citadel. la few inmates each Of the
Invaders energies, carrying i'll It's mouth
tile pupR OF u worker negro, which il has
obtained in spite OF the vigilance and vaiOI
Of its natural guardians; and the red ant,
then return to thor own nests in periec,
order, bearing with them their living bur
dens The pupm Of the negro ants. mp
pear to be treated by their red captors a
entirely their own; and the workers, whel
they emerge, perform the various duties o
the community with the greatest energ,
and apparent goOd-wiIl; they repair tn
nest, cXcavatc passages, collect food, feet
the lRryH, take the pupm into the SUI
shine, aud perform every Office which III
welfare Of the community seems To RI
,quire; in fact, they conduct themseIve
entirely rs ii fulfilling their original dest
ny; aud there eau be little question
that they have as much enjoyment in ia
homes in which they have been reared a
they would have experienced il brough
up in the communities from which the
were transported when as yet inseRSibl
Of the change; for the red ants do not in