The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-15
ANT CIVILIZATION.
Some Curious Facts IN the Life History
of These Wonderful Insects.

| From the Leisure Hour.
| Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider hel
ways and be wise.
Manifestations of a superior intelh'
gence nearly akin to reason, in some
of the inferior animals, have often eX-
cited our wonder and admiration. The
horse and dog, and certain other do
mestic animals, are especially noted in
this respect; but it is to the insect world
that we must look for the highest degree
OF intellectual development next to
man. If any of the inferior animals can
be said to possess the gift of treason, that
distinction certainly belongs to the
bees and ants, the latter taking By
much the higher rank. The fables OF
Esop wherein beasts and birds are rep
resented as creatures of intelligence,
speaking and acting as human beings,
seem almost realized in the well-known
facts connected with the life of these
wonderful little insects. There is so
much of the marvellous in their natural
history that it may be well first to eX-
plain that all positive statements in
this article are sustained by the highest
scientific authorities, and are every
where accepted by the scientific world
as established facts.
Ants are divided into three great
families, and subdivded into vast
number of genera and species, more
than one thousand of which have been
described. In each species there are
at least three classes-males, queens
and workers The males and queens
are provided with wings. The work.
ers are wingless, and the queens tear off
their own wings after their first fight.
Most species are armed with sting.
Some of those that have no sting are
yet provided with poison glands, the
contents of which they can forcibly
eject to the distance of eighteen inches.
Some species are entirely blind,
while others are provided with both
simple and compound eyes; the COM
pound eve sometimes consisting of as
MANY as 200 single eyes or facets.
That they see well and are capable of
Distinguishing colors is established be-
yond doubt and Sir John Lubbock,
by q number of most curious expert
ments, has suggested the idea that
they probably perceive certain colcrs
that are invisible to the human eye,
and of which we can form no concep-
ton.
Their range of hearing is at least
very different from ours. 1t 10 pretty
established that they do
not hear any of the sounds that we
hear, but it does not follow that they
are deaf, for it accords with the well
known principles of physics that they
may be capable of both making and
hearing sounds that are net audible to
the human ear.
That they have some sort of Ian
guage or means of communicating
ideas to one another is evident. If an
ant discovers a companion in prison,
it will hasten to the nest and soon
bring back a number of comraues to
its assistance. In like manner, if it
finds an article of food too heavy for it
to carry home unaided, it will return
to the nest and secure help. If an en-
emy approaches the nest, the sentinels
hasten to inform those within, and
soon all is alarm and commotion, and
-he whole colony rushes to the front TO
lefend their home and young. By
what sort of language they thus con-
vey to one another the information
hat assistance is wanted, is yet to be
discovered.
Ants are industrious little creatures,
working hard all day and usually the
greater part or all of the night. They |
probably live to a greater age than any |
,ther insect. Lubbock has ants still |
wing that he has kept in captivity
,ver seven years. They are usually |
living together in large So
eties; but in Central America is a spe-
les of gigantic black ants, averaging
n inch in length and armed with II
owerful sting. of which the individual
nembers live solitary and alone.
An ant community is model of
ivil government, wherein each class of
itizens has its own peculiar dutie, to
erform and performs them. There
re sometimes as many as six
iilerent classes in com
lunity all varying greatly in
re. form and function. There is
o shirking. no discomfort with ones
II in life. Their laws are all enforced
iey have no use for jails or poor
ouses. Police officers and courts are
OF needed, but they sometimes main
llu SOioitiN y itl httiousti utitutt, SOiut I
,ecies having class of workers with
nmense heads and jaws whose sole
is that of offensive and de- ;
nsive warfare. The honey ants~of ;
exico and Arizona have class OF !
orkers that are nothing but anima-
d honey-sacks. Hanging suspended ;
ON the roof of the nest from which ;
ey never move. they are supplied by {
e regular workers with honey which t
ey store away in Il membranous 2
ok of globular form, that soon be-
mes distcnded to many mes the nat /
al size of the ant. The honey thus +
cumulated constitutes the whole food c
the colony in times of famine. 1t is II
so largely sought after by the Mexi- a
MS who manufacture from it an n
reeable drink. o
One Of the most interesting features a
ant life is the existence of slavery II
long certain species. 10 sustain the Ii
;ttut'on they make war on tie ants IL
another race. generally snail r.
lck species, and having overcome II
colony, bear oil the larvae and pu- is
n to ba ,porpd ns slaves The eltyCS ! III