Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-10-07

ClaSS1n6Q, so many COlQ OH DIS SOIulS1S
to defend the gates, SO many for farm
and domestic duties, foraging, the
care of the eggs, and so on.
The slaves who care for the eggs
seem to have the hardest job. The
ants show the liveliest concern for
the eggs, and the slaves are required
to keep the most watchful eye on
them. On fair days the eggs must be
lugged up into the sunshine, but at
the slightest clouding of the sky the
precious eggs must be hustled in live
ly fashion back to the protection OF
the nests. If the clouds disappear
and the sunshine comes out again the
eggs must be carried out once more
and placed where the SUMS rays may
fall upon them But at the next cloud
back they go again to the cellar. ON
tickle April day the eggs may be
moved a dozen times or more, and the
slaves must heartily wish that such
thing as an ant egg had never been
invented.
The scientists say nothing about
the work of the household and farm
slaves. This is strange, for the spec
tacle of slave ant driving the ants
mich kline insects out to pasture and
back again, and then getting booted
by the farmer ant because he is
half hour late, or because the COW ate
burdocks and slough grass on the way
home ought to attract the favorable IN
terest even of the driest pedant.
Make Their Slaves Fight.
The soldier ants are also subdivlded
and appointed to different sorts OF
duties. The larger moiety by. constant
exercise develop fierce nipping jaws
and poison stings. The others IN
some curious fashion increase the size
/ of their heads, especially if they hap
pen to be considerably bigger than
their masters. Thus these big heads
enable them to block passageway
solidly against an invading foe. 1t
must have been an ant general who
first said: LET us get our heads to-
| gether."
Exceptionally elastic slaves are
transferred by the ants into living
honey bottles They are found with
abdomens abnormally distended, and
full of the honey dew the working
slaves bring in. Honey dew is Sc
erection of the aphides or plant lice
which the ant swarms domesticate
and keep in herd within the nests.
But many more remain outside. Ants
fol Of
indeed, of all sweet juices. They are
also great mushroom eaters and grow
mushrooms within their nests. There
are probably among the ants as many
sad tragedies from mistaking toad
stools for mushrooms as there are in
fact should be another bond Of SYM
pathy between humanity and the ants.
The ants also cultivate certain species
of orchids and bring about distinct
notifications of the plant form, sting
ing the young, tender stems SO fiercely
they swell, become almost globular,
and distill thin semi-saccharine juice
which the ants no doubt regard as
rare wine. One particular species of
orchid is, indeed, so infested with a
virulently singing ant the collection
of it is dangerous. The minute the
plant is touched all the ants swarming
over it rush to the point of attack.
the orchid will not flourish without
the ants, but withers away after a
feeble, struggling years growth.
SIaverys DemoraIizing Effect.
Slave holding among ants seems to
be as demoralizing upon the slave hold
ing class as it was among human
beings. Few among the slave hold
ing ants remain capable and vigorous.
They cannot build nests, care for their
young, or even feed themselves. Not
a few, when their slaves have chosen
the site and built the nests, ride to
their future home on slaves back.
Hospitality is feature of ant life.
Despite some Of their more disagree
able traits the ants are said to be ex-
tremely courteous and generous to
the stranger ant. that is Gin their
midst" He is made to feel at home,
and probably taken around and shown
the orchid farm and the mushroom
plantation and the herd of living
honey bottles and the mich kline in
sects grazing on thousand hills un-
der the watchful eyes Of the shepherd
slaves and the faithful insect dogs.
But if the stranger ant happens to
be an unwelcome guest or if he be-
longs to the other political party or
makes himself obnoxious to one of the
family, woe unto him. The slave ants
rush in and fall upon him. He is POM
meled and beaten without mercy and
finally hauled outside the door where
the dogs are set on him. Finally the
slave ant .dismember him and then
haul him outside the nest to die, it
seeming to be an ant superstition that
bad luck will follow the death of a
stranger inside the nest.
The scientists say that a year is
the average span Of an ants life,
though some species live to five years,