Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-02-19
WHITE ANTS IN INDIA.
An Insect that Renders Life in that CouI
try Very Uncomfortable.

An Insect that Renders Life in that Coun-
try Very Uncomfortable.
That species of Termes known as the
white ant is very abundant in India,
and is dreaded by all European resi-
dents, on account of its extraordinary
ravages, especially in its larva state, in
which it is truthfully called a worker.
The workers unite in colonies of
countless numbers and take up their
abode in the ground, in the wood, on the
ceiling or roof of a house, making tup-
nels and forming routes which lead To
the center of their nests.
Their deeds are deeds of darkness, for
so ingenious are they that they form the
tunnels inside and leave the surface of
the door or beam intact.
Twas standing by the door of our par.
Tor, says the writer, talking to friend.
and on putting my hand upon the door
frame, found that it was hollow. On
further examination it was found to be
filed with earth along one side, which
the Termes had deposited as they
worked their way through.
One morning our sweeper removed Q
pile about two feet in height from our
dining-roOm floor, but the energetic
creatures, nothing daunted, began their
work over again, and by the next morn
ing the pile was yard in height from
the floor and up the side of the wall.
Day after day the sweeper welded his
broom over the spot until he was forced
to the conclusion that they meant to
conquer him.
AS last remedy, after great many
experiments, he poured gallon of kerr
osene over the spot and was exceeding
~ rejoiced to find that at last they had
been driven away after two weeks Of
hard fighting. But alas! his spirits sank
within him when one morning a few
days later he found the pile higher than
ever.
1t became necessary to dig for the
queen, as after her expulsion no more
are Matched, and they gradually disap-
pear. A hole in the cement floor was
dug in which a horse could have been
buried, before the queen was found in
the center of her colony.
The abdomen of the queen becomes
very much distended with the innumer-
able eggs which it contains. 1t is said
that one such insect has been known
to deposit $4,000 eggs in one day. The
Larvae are a creamy white and trans
parent enough to show the substance
In the body with which the tunnels ara
moistened when in construction.
After a time they acquire wings, and
flying about during the night, lose
them. Being particularly attracted by
lamp light, many swarm around the
drawing-rOom lights until the floor is
quite Uttered with the wingless Great
ures, which soon become the prey of
lizards and toads, and by daylight, Of
birds. The natives do not eat them as
the Africans do.
On account of their secret ravages,
the houses of Europeans and of most
natives are usually only one story high,
with plastered floors and roofs of earth
or grass, which can be renewed every
few years.
have known of people being severely
injured by the falling of heavy mud
roof, caused by the white ants having
eaten out portions of heavy beam. So
common are they that railroad ties and
telegraph poles are often made of iron,
as nothing but metal seems to be i'm
pervious to their waste.
Trunks and boxes must be kept of
the floor, on bricks at each corner, or
on stands made for the purpose. 1t is
occurrence to walk into a room
some morning and find carpet eaten
in several places, or box of clothing
tunneled through and through, from
which you could not get square large
enough for a table napkin. Thus a
housekeeper's life becomes one of ever |
lasting vigilanee.-C. NJ. Wherry, in |
Chicago Graphic.
The Shah of Persia won't stand any