The record-union., 1894-03-22
TEXAS ANTS.
Sagacity of the shepherd and the Fam
lily Ant.

sagacity Of the shepherd and the Fam
lily Ant.
Last summer, in July | believe it was,
while lying in the shade of large pecan
tree | noticed a small family OF aphides
on the Leaf OF cotton stalk, and was not
little surprised a moment later OH see
ing large red ant with black head and
long legs emerge from the under side Of
The leai. L soon recognized him as one OF
the Well-known pastoral ants thypocli-
ness, lndustrially the lowest OF the ant
1amily, and which lead a lonely life, like
the old Syrlac shepherds tending their
plgmy cows. On the same leaf | noticed
fellow herder who was tending a still
smaller Hook. Both went about from
time TO time and gently stroking with
their attenn4 The two tube-like protuber-
anceS on the abdomen induced slight
How OF that sweet liquor, the honey dew
OF the apir. These crystal beads OF honey
they deXterously licked OFT before they
Tell OH the leaf and quickly hurried away
10 repeat the same milking operation On
another aplIde.
The sagacity of the shepherd ant is
only rivaled by that of the farmer ant,
also native of far Western Texas
These remarkable insects, according TO
some writers, plant each year Il crop of
ant rice, cereal seemingly originated by
some fornlic agriculturist i'll by-gone
ages, and when the crop is ripe they
gather 1t into subterranean granaries, al
ways reserving store tOr planting.
Somewhat resembling in occupation
the farmer ant, Texas can boast many
colonies Of the umbrella or leaf-cutting
ant, so common and destructive III Mex
leo ana Central America. In the latter
countries they are quite destructive
often destroying large trees, and their
depredations have to be guarded against
by means OF woolen tillets 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 lar
as l have observed in Fort Bend County,
is to strip only the smaller tree and
shrubs. The leaves are not cut into
diSc-Shaped pieces, as commonly sup
posed, but in any form that suits the
artistic fancy OF the ant. TO facilitate
progress to and from the leaf-cutting
grounds and nest, the ants construct, or
clear broad, smooth roads, often as much
as 200 yards in length and from six to
eight inches broad. These roads display
considerable engineering skill, abound
ing in curves, grades and even tunnels.
The leaf cutters seem to be the most in
dustrious Of all the ant family; big, little
ola and young seeming to be animated
with an almost insane desire to do their
share CT the work. Nothing could be
more amusing than to SEGA little fellow,
not more than the fourth of an inch long,
hurrying madly along with a huge leaf
deXterously held III his mandibles. The
nest Of the umbrella ant is a very poor
affair, and bears about the same relation
to the neat tunnels of the farmer ant
that the hovel OF the squatter does to the
substantial home OF the prosperous far
mer.
Any rude hole or hollow log serves the
leaf gatherer as a 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. although his rights have never
been recognized by letters patent.-Gal-
weston News.