The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-01-03
KILLED THE TARANruLA.
Colony OF Red Ants Attack and Dis.
patch One OF the Huge spiders.


patch One OF the Huge spiders.
A hunter one day encountered a large
specimen Of the tarantula, which
abounds in Texas. He did not dare to
touch or go near the deadly insect,
which was about five inches 'in length
and of rather groenish hue; but he got
long stick, one end of which he split,
and by a dexterous manipulation So
cured the tarantula between the prongs,
which, coming together, held it tight
enough to prevent its escape, but not
enough to injure 1t. He repaired with
1t to hill Of large red ants which he
had passed on his tramp short time be-
fore. In the middle OF the hill he de-
posted the tarantula, releasing IL from
its imprisonment 1t was rather
chilly day, and hut few ants were out Of
their holes. But these few gathered
around the stranger, looked at it closely
for brief moment, and then, one by
one, hurriedly entered the different
small holes within which were their
domiciles. The tarantula meanwhile
was motionless, occasionally blinking
its small, sharp eyes, but not deigning
w upOl bhO ouldll lnOSCbS.
But presently came forth the ants in
a body. Although the tale-bearers had
entered the hill by different holes, the
warriors all issued from the same one
First came large ant, and then the
others so closely upon the heels of each
other that the line looked like blood red
string. The side of the tarantula was
about four inches from where the ants
issued from the cone, and they made
straight for the enemy without loss of
time. The large one in the lead pounced
upon one of the furry legs, and the
others got their teeth in as near by as
possible. There seemed to be an almost
unending string OF the ants, and, in a
minute and half, the entire body of
their victim was covered with them.
After that the tarantula did not move a
limb scarcely A. first it attempted to
pull away the leg attacked by the ants,
but finding it fastened it showed along
with the disengaged legs, moving per-
mainder of it's body was soon covered
with the insects, which devoted part OF
their force to holding che victim in
place. The tarantula only killed three
of the ants. These three ventured with
in the reach of the jaws of the tarantula,
which closed it's mouth with snap,
ending their existence instanter.
In four minutes the tarantula was
dead. There was not sign of blood
anywhere on its body, though in many
places were evidences of the fray Near
the head were scars showing where the
ants had bitten deepest. Shortly after
it closed its eyes and allowed its head
to sag many of the ants withdrew, but
when there was a convulsive jerk of one
leg the ants ran up again, and this
time remained till every sign of anima-
tion was gone
Then the ants removed the corpse. 1t
was heavy body to move, but they ac.
complished it. On the rather fiat top
of the hill the pull was hard and long,
but on the incline it was easier. Ar
rivod at the foot the ants deserted the
corpse and returned to their homes,
some entering their holes, others re-
suming the work they had been inter
rupted at when the tarsntula came
among them. - st. Louis Globe-Demo'
prat