The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1894-03-23
TEXAS RAISES GREAT ANTS.
They Plant and Gather Crops, Build Roads
and Construct Incubators.

They Plant and Gather Crops, Build Roads
and Construct Incubators.
The sagacity of the shepherd ant is only
rivaled by that of the farmer ant, also
native of fac western Texas. These re-
markable insects, according to some writ
ers, plant each year crop of ant rice,
cereal seemingly originated by some for
mic agriculturist in bygone ages, and when
the crop is ripe they gather it into sub
terranean granaries, always reserving a
store for planting.
Somewhat resembling in occupation the
farmer ant, Texas can boast many colo
MES of the umbrella or leaf cutting ant so
common and destructive in Mexico and
Central America. In the latter countries
they are quite destructive, often destroy
ing large trees, and their depredations
have to be guarded against by means of
wooden fillets wound about the trunks of
the trees. Many notions, wholly without
foundation, seem to be current concerning
these strange little pests. Their method
of operation, so far as l have observed in
Fort Bend county, is to strip only the
smaller trees and shrubs. The leaves are
not cut into disk shaped pieces, as COM
monty supposed, but in any form that
suits the artistic fancy of the ant. To IA
cilitate progress to and from the leaf cut
ting grounds and nest, the ants construct
or clear broad; smooth roads, often as
much as 200 yards in length and from 9
to inches broad. These roads display
considerable engineering skill, Astounding
in curves, grades and even tunnels. The
leaf cutters seem to be the most industri-
Gus of all the ant family big, little, old
or young seeming to be animated with
an almost insane desire to do his share of
the work. Nothing could be more anus
ing than to see little fellow, not more
than the fourth of an inch long, hurrying
madly along with huge leaf deXterously
held in his mandibles. The nest of the
umbrella ant is very poor affair, and
bears about the same relation to the neat
tunnels of the farmer ant that the howell
of the squatter does to the substantial
home of the prosperous farmer. Any rude
hole or hollow log serves the leaf gatherer
as storeroom, where he puts away his
hotbed to hatch out the eggs deposited by
the female. The leaf cutter is thus the
original inventor of the incubator, al
though his rights have never been recog-
nized by letters patent.
In New Mexico and northern Mexico is
to be found the honey ant sold as confec-
tions by the Mexicans, which are eaten
something like grapes. Unlike the bee,
the ant is unable to seCrete wax or other
wise make suitable receptacle for his
gathered honey, but in the face of these
difficulties he has solved the problem conf
pletely. Certain members, very patriotic
ones doubtless, are selected, who act as
honey jars for the workers. These mar
tyrs stay at home and bravely swallow
the gathered honey until their gradually
distending abdomens will hold no more,
and as they hang suspended like so many
golden drops from the sides of the tunnel
they have the appearance though not the
sentiments of bloated capitalists, profit
ing in idleness by the labors of their fell
low beings. The life of the honey keeper
is no sinecure. His duties are arduOus
and require the greatest care. When the
honey season is over, he it is who feeds
the idle hands, regurgitating a drop of
honey whenever a check on the larder is
presented, the latter consisting of certain
well defined strokes on the head and body
by the hungry ant. Some malignant in
vestigators, whose whole desire seems TO
be to fasten on these exemplary little ami
mails the vices of men, claim that there is
to be found II parasitic bug in the nests of
the honey ant, which, at the solicitation
of thirsty members, yields an alcoholic
liquor something similar TO beer. The
methods of the formic topers are said to
be similar to those of the enlightened eau
casian, consisting in certain winks and
expressive crookings of the elbows.-Gal-
weston News.