Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-05-16
INDUSTRIOUS INSECTS.

Curious Habits OF tho Agricultural and
Loaf Quitting Ants. 81
Go to the mt. thou sluggard; con.
slider her ways. and be wise; which,
having mo guide. ovorseer: or ruler,
provideth her meat in the summer.
and gathcreth her food in the hal-
vest" .@~~s ", Il :...g, !
Old King Sol onion. who wrote this
proverb. had in his country tho same
kind Of ants rs have been discovered
at comparatively Erccent date in gu,
own land. Before this discovery mod
ern naturalists were inclined to think
the wise man had made one mistake,
and that harvesting ants did not
exist - - I" ::
But now an obs CRYING traveller pass
ing over the prairie near San A nton 10,
lex, will como across circular clear
ings. surrounded by tall weeds and
grass. having not a scrap of vegeta-
ton upon them. often for distance
Of fifteen foot. This is tho yard
surrounding the gate or door to
the underground cites of the Agricult-
ural Ant. Long roads usually four
in number but sometimes seven. lead
from this yard into the rank grass,
which for them is as formidable rs any
primitive forest to tho early pioneers
Upon these roads they construct a
pavement of coarse sand or grit half
an inch thick and often from forty to
three hundred feet in length. No
green thing is allowed to grow upon
their yards except a grain bearing
grass. scalled Aristila Stricta. but
known in Texas rs "ant rice. 1t is
even asserted that the ants sow this
grain themselves. When it is ripe the
chaff is removed, and the clean seeds
carefully slowed away in their cells.
They also gather oats and the seeds of
plants in so large a store as to last
till the time of ripening again.
These ants arc 80 large and formid-
able that in Texas they are called the
':stinging ants" and arc as much
dreaded rs q nest of hornets. But
some naturalists have carefully
examined these formicaries. as tn Dir
nests arc called. defending themsel res
as we'll as they could from the fierce
assaults of the enraged insects that
swarmed out upon them.
They found the granaries in stories.
one above another. several inches
long. and about IN inch high, and
were convinced that the ants stood
the seed for food.
As :heir pavements would be inln-
dated in the rainy season. they begin
at least six months before to build
mounds, rising over foot from the
center of the pavement; and when the
rain begins. the young larvae. the
eggs. and some stores of grain are
carried into them. Thus it has ben
proved that King Solomon could veil
quote the ant rs a model of industry
and prudent forethought.
The habits of the leaf-cutting ants
are even more wonderful. These have
made great ravages upon the orchards
between Austin and San Antonio.
There they are called the ''par$ol
ant" from their having been q en-
carrying portions of green lowes
above their heads. They work oily
at night, when entomologists h e
watched them with the light of I'm
tern. One writer describes 1.-TWO Ing
columns stretched from the toy to he
bottom of live oak; one ascending.
the other descending, the tree. the 1t.
ter column carrying above their held |
circular portions of green leaves. md
seemed like q procession of Lilliputan
Saba h-school children bearing abft |
their banners.
In some instances we see anotier |
division of labor, for one party aot |
foragers occupies itself wholly in DIT.
ing off the leaves with their shap. |
sickle-shaped ndibles, and throF- |
ing them to the ground. while |
the carriers only make he |
Journey between the foot of nc |
tree and the nest. The piece cut DIT |
is about the size of dime. althouI III |
not always perfect circle. Thee |
""o0 SASeS'<t wv ACoIo oOAAOtAuAC l"CfC |
feet in diameter and from ten to fifte n |
feet deep. made with an irregular b.
range ment of caverns communicating !
with each other and the surfae E. |
Within the nests the fiber of the leaps |
had been reduced to pulp and sprc, ID !
out into papery mass. forming usuI IL.
ly hexagon cells. These were 3, D.
posed to be the living-rooms of te |
ants, and many contained their eggs |
and larvae, or grubs. and. although &c |
paper was so frail, the ants ran overit !
with impunity. |
They open and shut the gates 10 !
their abode with the utmost care. Tie !
barricade to their home is composd |
of little heaps of dried leaves and sail. |
About dusk. very small ants appor.
creeping out of minute hops |
and bearing away one grain of sail. |
Next larger ants carry off b its pt
leaves or sticks, which they dro a |
couple of inches from the gate. Afbr |
slow procession like this. lasting $r !
some time, there comes final rub,