The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-03-08
THE HONEY-ANTS.
PECULIAR HABITS OF THESE Curl.
Gus NOCTURNAL INSECTS
Laying Up Sweets for Rainy Day-seIes-
ton of Living Storage BottIes-Tak-
ing Care OF the Honey
Bearers.
youths Companion-I

The honey ants are found from southern
Mexico as far north as Colorado, and ara
easily recognized by the tall moun6-liks
structures or nests that they erect
They are like the owl, almost entirely
nocturnal, carrying on their outdoor work
at night although their domestic duties
underground are probably not neglected
during the day. AS soon as the darkness
comes on. they sally out of their sub
terranean cities, and wander about. climb
ing bushes and trees in search of the food
Of their choice, which. curiously enough,
Is honey.
This viii occur to you as an excep-
uEnaI case among ants, as they gener-
aliS, perhaps, as q rule. feed dpon mate
rial that can be stored up; but here where
the food is liquid you would assume that
it could not be laid by for rainy day, SO
to speak, for the simple reason that the
ants have no tanks, ! asks or bottles IN
hold the supply. nor the ingenuity 20
make them Let Us not say. however,
that they have not sufficient intelligence
TO find a substitute, as they certainly
have.
PECULIAR FORMATION.
If we examine one of these ants. We
shall Ind that the abdomen, or rear
larger portion, is protected by ten plates
or bands that are movable. and as they
are connected or underlaid by very deli
cate membrane almost ike rubber. Ihey
can be stretched apart 10 g wonderful de-
gree. allowing the abdomen to assume the
appearance Il d tiny balloon four or i've
times lis normal Sic The ants also have
a crop that IS capab Of great distention.
and governed by sets of powerful muscles:
in other respects they resemble ordinary
ants.
Now by some arran cement, whether BY
agreement taking their turn. or by force
Is not known, certain ants are selected by
the others as living bottles; in other
words, they are obliged 10 receive the
supply brought in by the rest, and retain
1t. When the foraging ants return, they
have their crops filed with honey. and
proceed directly 10 the bottles
Placing their mouths in contact with
that Of the unfortunate living receptacle. by
contraction of the muscles mentioned the
contents of the crop are forced out and
into the bottle Ant after ant unloads in
this way, until the elasticity Of the recip-
lent is tested TO the utmost, and it can re-
ceive or hold no more.
THE HONEY-BEARERS.
The insect is then absolutely helpless.
The crop and abdomen have expanded
until it resembles an amber ued sac, as
we have seen, the size of a currant. the
head and limbs having almost disap-
peared, hanging upon the side like a
stem, while the other organs within the
little creature are SO pressed out of Shape
that it is with the greatest difficulty they
are traced
Loaded down in this way, and surfeitea
with sweets, the bottles are naturally
powerlesS. and that this is appreciated
by the others is evident from an examina-
tion of their nests, when it will BE-
found that the honey bearers arS
given separate room and there
tended with the greatest care.
They are, perhaps. placed there before
being hiled, or carried in later; but IN
any case they are found together in sep
srate apartment hanging from the roof.
to which they cling with heir limbs and
appearing like ripe fruit susIS"ded 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 OF the drops of heney that by muscu-
lar contraction are forced out by tho
patient and never hungry living bottle
The nests of the honey ant are eagerly
sought after hy the native Mexicans. and
the store-houSes pillaged of the bottleE
that are served as delioacies by them