The citizen., 1901-03-01
2gs ANTS.
sDeeI:S That 1AVE NEARLY EvERv
H1 TRAIT OF HUMANITY

~w Are Lazy, Greedy, Tyrannous
"a covetous-Some That Reduce
id r Cnptives to Slavery and Pm,
IL fnto queer Uses.
s <hce is, after all, your real icono.
Not content with topping tho
little bee off her pinnacle of vir
lii goes on to attack the ant, for so
held pattern and moral of thrift
ts. say the wise men, have about ev.
,ad trait of humanity-they are lazy
III, tyrannous, given to conqucstq
coveting the territory of their ncirh.
81 Along with the territory they of.
<than not take the ncighbors tho,n.
/ holding them ever after in slav.
how this comes to pass is some.
Eof a puzzle. There are seven INN.
bdd species of ants duly classified
tral of these species, say observ.
Ihust possess hypnotic power. since
8atack, subjugate and reduce to
h other species which are much
stronger and more populous in
1ests.
Ter they have got their slaves many
queer things happen. The slaves
b. nests are classiiied-so many told
i soldiers to defend the gates. 81
for domestic duties, foraging. the
hi eggs. and so on. The soldier ants
hrthcr subdivided. The larger mum.
aby constant exercise, develop fierce
b. jaws and poison stings. The 9th.
! some curious fashion increase the
hi their heads, especially if they
kn to be considerably bigger than
masters. The big heads enable
i IT, block a passageway against an
ling foe
elastic slaves are trans.
6i into living honey bottles. They
found with abdomcns enormously
hdcd ana full of the honey dew the
iu- slaves bring in. Honey dew.
sa!d, is Il secretion of the aphidcS, or
lice. which the ant swarms keep in
within the nest.
Is are passionatcly fond of honey
"a, Of all sweet juices. They are.
ltr fond Of mushrooms and grow
within their nests. They also cult.
certain species Of orchids and bring
t distinct notifications of the plant
. singing the young tender stems
,ccly that they will become almost
ll and distill a thin scmsaccharinc
which the ants no doubt regard as
wine. One particular species Of
j, indeed, is so infested with a
emf singing ant that the collection
is very dangerous. The minute
Mut is touched all the ants swarm.
Frr it rush to the point of attack.
is, however. less curious than the
that the orchid will not flourish
,uJ the ants. but withcrs away after
bile, a.raGgling years growth.
he few among Slavcholding ants re-
capable. The most part become
ly dcmoralizcd. They cannot build
. care for their young, or even feed
selves. Not Il few, when the slaves
chosen and built new nest, ride to
on slaves back. One species is
worthy for having only slaves for
orS, yet never containing within the
any slave eggs or young.
with bees, the queen ant is the
ar Of the swarm. Unlike bees, how
tlcrc are often several queens in
lmc swarm. The workers are rudi-
airy females. In slavemaking the
rs Kill all the perfect ants and take
the others.
feet males and females have wings,
I they drop as soon as the marriage
Is over. Worker ants have no
5. Worker ants. or, rather slaves,
he aphis cows by no means exhaust
st Of ant dependents. They keep
rs smaller insects as men keep do
C animals. Just why is not yet
The fact remains, though. that in
r2nnies of some nests herds of
and almost invisible small creatures
been found.
car is the average span of ant life,
ONE species live five years and eX-
0ai individuals as much as seven.
'ocics show the liveliest concern for
eggs, Juggling them up into sunshine
fair days and scuttling back with
the minute the sky is overcast.
a tickle April day the eggs may
wed Il half dozen times. They are
7 MS regardful of the aphis eggs. In
throughout they protect their milk
shelter them well and take pains i'll
e their young.
pitality is not unknown among ants.
anger guest receives distinguished
Grafton. But woe to the stranger
lat comes unlimited. He is hustled
and finally hurt mortally
he saves himself by showing SUI
fighting power or possessing a
pair of heels. After he is down
sluirming trunk, bcreft of legs, un-
o bite, the slaves lay hold on him
rag him outside the nest to die.
'ly ii is an ant superstition that bad
follows a strangers death in the
mic acid. the distinctive ant prod
one of the greatest vegetable slim
known. The earth of Il nest be-
so saturated with it that some peo-
,plain the famous Hindoo mango
by suppOsing that the mango seed
comes to flower and fruit before
yes is planted in a pot of ant heap
ever that may be. it is established
! cavil that ants of some species
lte and presumably fertiiizc their
te food stuffs. Cases in point are
INNER ants and the harvesting ants,
Of which abound in the state Of
The trimmers prune n sort of
which is to their taste so that it
srow strong and sturdy. The har-
ants 20 even beyond that. They
disks several yards across round
their nests of all manner OF vege-
then plant the disks with ant rico,
they watch and tend until il rip
tting no yagrant or alien twig show
York iSLn.
iPECTAcLES FOR ANIMALS.