Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-11-07
FLORIDA HARVESTING ANTS.
The Wonderful Architecture Of . Colo
ny Of Minute Insects.
May Treat in Nppincott's Magazine.

Inc w 000011Ul A1c0lCootuIo u = NOAV-
ny Of Minute Insects.
May Treat in Lippincott's Magazine.
Early in December, 1877, l brought
large colony Of these ants from one OF
the hills, including the workers major
and minor and soldiers, and established
them in a jar, which l placed in my
study. They very soon commenced
work, tunneling the earth and erecting
a formicary, as nearly as they could
barrens. The mining was done entirely
by the small workers. At first they re-
fused all animal food, but ate greedily
fruit and sugar, and all kinds Of seeds
which l gave them we're Immediately
taken below, out of sig ht. now visited
the mounds on the barrens, and found
abundant indications of their food sup
plies. At the base of each mound was a
heap Of chat and shells Of various kinds
of seeds. 4
On excavating nest found cham
bers or store-rooms filled with various
kinds of seeds. But, so far as / have
observed, the seeds are not eaten until
they are swollen or spr0uted, when the
outer covering burets of itself. At this
stage the starch is being converted into
sugar, and this seems to be what the
ants are after. They also seemed to be
| very fond of the yellow pollen-dust of
the pine. The catkins of the long
ieaved pine (Pinus autraulis) commenced
falling in February, and noticed ants
congregated on them; 80 l took those
just ready to discharge the pollen, and
shook the dust en- the mound in little
heaps, which were soon surrounded by
ants, crowding and jostling each other in
their eagerness to obtain share.
The colony in the glass far seemed
perfectly contented, not trying to make
their escape at all. The earth was origi.
nally little more than two inches in
depth, but by the LIST of February these
wonderful architects had reared their
domicile to the heig ht of six inches.
They raised tier upon tier of chambers
in so substantial a manner that they
never fell in. One of the storerooms in
which they deposited the seeds I gave
them was at the bottom of the jar, anG
the seeds were stored against the glass
with no intervening earth between; il
contained about teaspoonful eft millet
| I gave this chamber the right degree O.
heat and moisture to sprout the seed by
pouring little water down the side o.
the jar until it penetrated the chamber
and then sitting it near the fire. Tht
ants soon appreciated the condition o.
this storeroom, and many congregatee
there and seemed to be enjoying a feast
The next day the seeds were all brough
to the surface and deposited in a little
heap on one side of the jar, where man!
of them grew, making pretty little
green forest, which the ants soon cu'
down and destroyed. This chamber re
NAMED empty for three days. and wa
then again reflled with fresh millet an<
apple and cotton seeds.
i kept small she'll, which held abou
tablespoonful of water, standing ii
the jar for the ants to drink from. Fo
more than a month the water was al
lowed to remain clear, the ants ofte1
coming to the edge to drink; but on
day one was walking on the edge of tn
shell, and carrying an apple seed, whel
she lost her footing and rolled into tn
water. She foundered about for few
moments, still holding on to the seed; a
laSC ne lei IL ulOp anu cfaWleO out. a
soon as she had Invested herself of tn
surplus water, she consulted several o
her companions, and they immediatel.
, went to work and filled up the shell
first throwing in four or five apple seeds
and then filling in with earth, and eve
AFTER as often as cleared out the shell
and put in fresh water, it would be file
with earth, sticks and seeds, and the
now serve all sweet liquids which Civ
them in the same way, slipping the syru
from the moistened earth.