Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-07-08

ment branched off, crossed the carriage.
drive, and marched directly TO, another
large colony, situated beneath an oak on
tho highest ground in the grove. The
formicary extended over several square
feet, and had many entrances. The
panic-strlckcn blacks, iustead OF facing
the enemy, fled in all directions, many
of them carrying young ants, and others
pupm. But tho army of the invaders
came thick and fast, and soon spread
over tho entire formicary. Some were
stationed at the openings. while others
passed within, and now each black that
attempted to escape with pupa OF
young ant was Immediately seized and
the young wrested from it. The in
vaders, instead of returning home with
the booty, carried it back into the tor.
micary. This unusual proceeding con-
tinuod for about an hour. The adult
blacks were driven out. The invaders
had resolved to retain this eligible situa.
tion and make il their future home. a
large number of them returned to the
old home, and each seized slave and
carried it to the captured home of the
blacks. They seemed to be in too much
haste to spend time nmaking the slaves
comprehend this new move. The slaves
themselves in a ball, ready to be car.
ricd. In this position they were trans
ported rs easily as pupa or larva. The
transported slaves began at once to
close the numerous entrances leading
to the chambers of their vanquished
relatives. W rt
AS darkness approached all labor
ceased. The divided inhabitants took
their repose in both formicaries. The
following morning by eight o. clock they
were out in full force. The line ex.
tended from one formicary to the other
An unbroken column sixty feet in
length and from six to eight inches in
width. All the invaders that were 60.
ing toward the captured home were
laden with burdens. Some were carry.
ing young slaves, others pupm and CO.
coons, and large number of queens
were being transported, which by this
time had become willing members OF
the community. and no longer had to
be dragged by the autenne or legs, but
were rolled in balls and carried in the
strong mandibles of the porters. Some
VI tuC SldNcS WcTc Sblll CtTElcu, Uut
most of them seemed by this time to
understand what was going on, and
were in the line carrying burdens. But
1 saw very few on the return line; ap-
parently the command had been given
for the slaves to remain at the captured
home and close the numerous doors
and make the necessary changes in the
interior to suit their masters. The
move was completed in less than three
days. as in this case they had little OF
no mining to retard them.
The poor, homeless blacks that had
been driven out mostly congregatet
about twenty feet distant under tree
and had secreted their young beneath
fallen leaves. 1t was pitiful to see 9
small detachment start out to recon
hotter their late home. They ap
preached with great caution, and, hav
ing discovered the state of affairs, hast
ened back. If one was caught by the
outside guard he was almost sure to be
killed. tai.
Usually, when the blacks have beer
driven from home, they return as soor
as the invaders cease the attack. Sc
this colony remained huddled together
for several days, as if waiting for thu
enemy toleave. Atlast, becoming salts
fed that they did not intend to leave
the blacks moved about thirty fee
farther and commenced mining int
one of their old deserted formicaries
After the invaders were we'll SETTLED
in their conquered home, [ noticed
some singular-looking ants which hat
been left in the old formicary. Bringint
my lens to aid me, / found that thes,
ants-both masters and slaves-wer,
covered with parasites. A single speci
men looked like mere speck, scarcel.
| visible to the unassisted eye, but 81
numerous were they on many of th'
ants that it gave them the appearance,
of being covered with white fungus.
supplied them with sugar and honey, o
which the slaves partook freely ami
with which they fed the infestet
masters. The war spirit was not ye
quenched in these red marauders. The,
walked about with extended mandibles
ready to fight whatever might come il
! their way. They attacked the flies ant
bees that were attracted to the honey a
fiercely as ever.
While was watching these ants an
wondering at their sagacity, my atten
ton was attracted to two ants ap
preaching the old home: they were bot
slave. makers, and one was walkin
backward and leading the other by tn
tip of the antenne, as if afraid OF con
tamination. She led her up the littl
| hillock and left her near the door. Th
ant thus left was infested with a fe,
parasites, not visible without the aid G
| the lens. She made no attempt to re
peared within what had now become
laZaretto.
: My attention was now wholly direct
ed to the conductor, who had starte
toward home. She soon stopped t
make her toilet-rubbing herself on tn
ground and then standing nearly ul
right and passing her forelegs over he
body. After going on few feet, sh
stopped and repeated the performance
After completing it to her satisfaction
she soon reached the outer boundarie
of home, where she was stopped, fir
by one and then another of her con
rades. In some instances they hel
their antennm together for the space {
minute or two, as ii conversins
others merely touched the antenne an
passed along. Having satisfied thei
that she was all right, she was 500
mingling with the rest unchallenged.
| / returned to the lazaretto and pickle
up good many of the infested AM
and dropped them in alcohol. On pla'
ing them under the microscope l foun
the parasite to be species of mit'
These mites, like aphides, increase wit
astonishing rapidity and are casil
transmitted from ant to ant. ! put on
of the infested ants from the old ne
in glass jar with earth in the bottol
three or four inches in depth. the
introduced twenty ants from the ne
nest, ten blacks and ten reds, entirel
free from mites. In little more tina
week every ant was nearly covere
with the parasites. H.,
1t will be seen from this how nece
sary it was for the community to rid
self of all the infested ants. But non