The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-06
CUBA'S LEAF CUTTING ANT.
The Alta insuiaris is Il Fad Insect and
Not Easy TO Cope with.

Not Easy to Cope " ivh.
An entonolog.st of this city has recently
received from Cuba some specimens Of a
Ieaf-cutter ant, alta tnsulars, which is ex-
celled in destructtveuess and ferooity only
by the famous African termite or great
white ant Individual for individual 1t IS
not certain that the Cuban specimen is
not worse than the African, but it does
not. as the termite does. march in vast
armies across the country driving all liv-
ing things before it. Alta tnsularis IS
large and active, with formidable mandi-
bles The Cubans dread the insect saying
that where it has once established itself
it will drive all other forms Of life away.
Testimony of white men in Cuba goes
far toward substantating this statement.
The man who sends the specimens cites
a case where the alta insulars was intro
duced into the hills Of another ant that
had done much mischief on a plantation
Though the newcomers were few, they at
tackled the resident ants with immense
fury and vigor, besiesing them in their
own hills and soon driving them out and
away or killing them. The ground was
alive with fugitive ants, lacking a leg or
two, or struggling along with their heads
bitten half off until one OF the nurderous
leaf-cutters would give chase and dispatch
them. SO far everything was satisfactory
10 The owner of the plantation, but now
he found that he had a more formidable
problem upon his hands. The importations
multiplied and spread with great rapidly
and soon owned the place They killed
poultry and rabbits ana even calves.
one OF the workmen on the place who
took a nap on the ground near their hills
was attacked and awOka TO find himself
swarming with the insects ana covered
with bites Fortunately for him he had
the presence of mind 10 run for a stream
near by, tearing off his scant clothing as
he went, and plunged in. He might have
been killed had not he been near water,
and as it was he was badly bitten and had
to keep to his bed for several days from
the effects of the poison. Methods of ex-
termination which are effective against
other species Of ants seem to be OF no
avail in the case Of alta insuaris some
time ago Mr.. Yznaga. an old resident OF
Cuba, mentioned this ant in his writings
upon plantation cultivation there:
T remember that my father some years
ago was advised to propagate this ant In
his cane fields he writes. where mice
and worms We're doing great depredatIons
to the sugar cane That evil was most
effectuaIly stopped, but on the other
hand, the estate was ruined for several
years for breeding purposes Even newly
born children had to DO watched. other
wise they would De bitten to death or have
their eyes severely injured In 1868 [ Wis
tied the place with the idea of turning 1t
into cattle ranch and had to give it up.
The ants were so numerous that they act
ual!y would put out burning charcoal A
hole was dug in the ground and eubers
put into it: 50 many would crawl over
them that they would eXtinguIsh the fire.
In 1876 they disappeared from the estate
There has been some discussion here
among entomologists as to using this ant
for the purpose Of Kidding farms of field
mice. woodchucks and other destructive
animals. II is probable that the ant would
also eXterminate insects injurious TO veg
citation. But until some method can be
found to control the ravages OF the ant
itself it IS not likely that any expert
ments which might result in establishing
it in this country will be tried The hl5-
its OF the ant are not well understood
Some seasons there will be swarms OF
them and again, without expiicable cause.
they viii disappear and only an occasional
specimen be found, prowlins on his solita-
~ way and ready to attack anything OF
any size that gets in his path.-New York
Sun.