Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1901-03-08

His Ingenious Plan Of EntrappinE other
Insect Prey.


Although the ant-lion, to the cas-
ual observer, exhibits in form nothing |
at all remarkable, its wonderful dex-
terity and perseyering skill in en-
sharing the ant, on which it feeds,
makes its habits truly extraordinary
and well-deserving Of careful atten-
ton.
1t closely resembles the common |
woodlouse in form and color, and its |
body, which is formed of several |
rings, ends in point. 1t has six legs |
and a fiat, square-shaped head, armed |
with two movable, crooked horns,
whose singular structure shows how
admirably nature furnishes even the
least of her works.
This liltleinsect, says Golden Days, |
is the most powerful and dangerous
enemy the ant has, and the plans
which he forms to entrap his prey
are very ingenious. lie mines por
ton Of earth in The form Of a funnel,
at the bottom Of which he waits to
seize the ants. which, coming by
chance to the edge of the little preci-
pice, are thence hurried down to their
merciess foe.
In order to dig it, he first traces
! in the sand "A round furrow, which
forms the mouth of the funnel When
he has fixed this opening he digs an
other circle, in order to throw out
all the sand contained in the first
/. circle.
He wonderfully performs all these
operations with his head, which
e serves him for a shovel, which, being
r flat and sQuare-shaped, makes it very
+ similar to it in form.
He then takes the sand with one
= of his fore-reet, so as to throw it be-
yond the first furrow, and this work
a is repeated until the insect has
b reached a ccrtair rs GN # sand.
!. Some1Q'lNue "al\Ow W he meets
or with OyS, VIZ WIS Ne%h, which
he will % N oNN Yin in hi.
funnel. so. g, P@yl-timeC
movement Wlpltche
them aside, "
, Should he fl Niger
he tries to push Nack
and he is so untir VA
he repeats it six ors Y
3 At length the ant-h Y
enjoy the fruits of his toll,
]. now has nothing to do but put hin
on the watch; so, quiet and hiddel
at the bottom of the ditch which h
has dug, he patiently waits for hi
prey.
If any amt unwittingly ventures
the borders of this embankment,
r. generally rolls down to the bottor
W because of the sloping nature of tn
nt brink, and the sand giving way be
e. meath its feet, the tiny insect isforce
IN thus to follow the dangerous decliN
IS ity until it falls into the power of il
d destroyer, the cunning ant-lion, whc
vs. by means of its horns, draws it unde
he the sand and feasts upon its blood.
r. When he has sucked all the juice
IT, from the ants body, he sets to wor
~ ~ to eject the dry carcass from hi
he abode, repair any damage his irene
may have suffered, and puts himsel
ny again in ambush TO await a new viz
pc tim
,b He does not always succeed in get
te ting an ant the moment it falls.
y, often escapes him, and endeavors (
n mount the sides of the funnel-shape
as cave; but then the ant-lion work
I'd with his broad head, and throws u
shower of sand. which descend
nd upon his captive, and throws it one
re more to the bottom.
- All the actions Of this little cre'
"A ture show an art so extraordinary thu
e. we might long examine its working
Id without becoming weary.
OF Though the ant-lion prepares i
~ trenches before it has seen the an
ge NAL it is to ensnare, how can bette
90 mode Of entrapping its prey be d.
EN- vised than the digging in movab
er sand, and making the pit sloping {
X, funnel-shaped? Orwhat better moe
of preventing its escape than II
throwing of the sand-showers to CT
ia off all retreat?