Daily Yellowstone journal., 1885-10-30
THE HONET-ANTS.
PECULIAR HA8 rs OF THESE CURI-
Gus NOCTURNAL. INSECTS
laying Up Sweets for Rainy Dsy-seloc-
tioD OF Living storage. Bottles TAX
Ing Care of the Honey
Hearers
lYouth's Companion

lNouth's Companion
The honey. ants are found from southern
Mexico as far north as Colorado, and are
easily recognized by the tall mound like
structures or nests that they erect.
They are ike the owl almost entirely
nocturnal carrying on their outdoor work
at night, although their domestic duties
underground are probably not neglected
during the dar. As soon as the darkness
comes on. they sally out of their sub
terranean cities, and wander about. climb
ing bushes aud rcts in search of the food
of their choice, VIII Gu. curiously enough.
is honey.
This will occur to you rs an excep-
tional case among ants, AS they gener-
ally, perhaus. as rule, feed upon mate
rial that can b. stored up; but here where
the food is LIQUID YOU would assume that
Il could not he laid by for IA rainy day, so
to speak, for the simple reason that the
ants have no tanks. asks or bottles Ia
hold the supp y, nor the ingenuity 10
make them ct us not say, however,
that they have not sufficient intelligence
10 find substitute as they certainly
have
T.r-L'AR FORMATION.
If We examine G OF these ants, we
shall Ind ilaI tie abdomen, or rear
larger portion, Is p detected by ten plates
or bands hat are movable. and US they
are connected or unieria'd 10y very deli.
Catr membrane almost like runhcr. they
can he stretched apart TO Il wonder al de
gree allowing the abdomen 10 assume the
appearance If a Tiny balloon four or 1ve
times its normal size The ants also have
a crop that is capab Of great djstGItion.
and governed 10y sets of powerful muscles;
in other respects they resemb c ordinary
ants,
Now BY sGme arrangement, whether by
agreement taking her turn. or by force
Is not known, CeIla u ants are selected by
the others rs living bottles; in other
words they are obliged TO receive the
supply brought in by the rest, and retain
IT, When the ioraging ants return. they
have their crOls filled with honey, aud
proceed directly to the bottles
Placing their mouths In contact with
that of the unfortunate living receptacle, by
contraction of the muscles mentioned. the
contents of tie crop are forced out and
into the bottle. Ant after ant unloads in
this wa, until the elasticity of the recip-
lent is tested TO the utmost and il can re-.
ceiye or hold no more.
THE HONEY BEARERS.
The insect is then absolutely helpless
The crop aud abdomen have expanded
until il resembles an amber. hued sac, as
we have secn. the size of o currant. the
head and limbs having almost disap,
peared, hanging upon the side like a
stem, while the other organs within the
liltla crpatura are sn messed out of shane
that it is with the greatest difficulty they
are traced.
Loaded down in tbs way, and surfeited
with sweets. the bottles are naturally
powerless, and that this is appreciated
by the others is evident from an examina.
ton of their nests, when it will be
found that the hUney.bearers are
given separate room and there
tended with the greatest care.
They are, perhaps, placed there before
being iilled. or carried in later; but ia
any case they are found together In a sep
arate apartment. hanging from the roof,
10 which they cling with their limbs. and
appearing like ripe fruit suspended from
invisible vines.
This then, is the pantry, or store,
room, Of the honey ants. and here is kept
what corresponds TO the winter store OF
other animals. When the other ants are
hungry they proceed to this room and
lick OH the drops Of honey that by muscu.
lar contraction are forced out by the
patient and never hungry living bottle.
The nests Of the honey. ant are eagerly
sought after by the native Mexicans, and
the store hOuscs pillaged Of the bottles
that are served as deliCacies by them.