Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-02-06

tirely oblivlous Of their surroundings.
Uncovering the house, watering the
sponges and even the presence of
strange ant failed to divert the angry
queens, who with brief intervals Of
rest continued the battle for four
DAYS. Then one of the combstants
was left on the side of the room op-
posite the eggs, where she remained
in isolation for ten days, while the
other queen returned and helped the
third queen, who had witnessed the
battle, to care for the eggs. When
ever the banished queen was picked
up and placed near her former sssO-
ciates her enemies carried her back to
her place of Punishment. On the llth
day her companions concluded to for
give her. But the poor little ant had
been too severely punished and she
died the following day.
The death of the king, which occurs
soon after the cold weather comes,
seems to occasion the deepest grief in
every ant household. The queen US
ually insists on remaining near the
body until it is taken away, and as
long as it remains she will stand with
lowered head held close against that
Of the dead king. After the body is
removed the queen runs around search
ing for it in a distracted manner.
By a series of experiments Miss
Fields has discovered many interest
ing facts connected with ants. A lit
tie hospital, built in the same manner
as the glass house, but having three
wards, was constructed for the expert
ments. The tip of the antenne was
removed from an ant, and VIXEN he
had recovered from the shock OF the
operation and resumed his normal
health he could no longer tell his nest
from that of a stranger, and instead
of displaying fear at being in new
place he seemed to assume that the
nest must belong to him. Upon the
removal of the second segment of the
antenna the ant could no longer rec
ognize his blood relations and friends
This is the segment with which an ant
caresses those that he likes, and, un-
der ordinary circumstances, when an
ant touches a stranger with this seq
ment he Immediately proceeds to open
his jaws and fight.
Members of the same family, al
though they may not have met before,
being removed to separate nests at the
inert stage, will recognize each other
Immediately on meeting, pat each
other on the head in the most friendly
way and fraternize by polishing each
other carefully and exchanging food.
After the second segment was cut
from several ants and they had left
the hospital they lived peaceably with
their enemies and could not tell friends
from ants of different lineage. They
worked with any family, caring for
the young and becoming positively
chummy with ants that, by right OF
birth, were their deadly enemies.
When the third segment Of the an
tenna was removed the ants could no
longer discern their own scent or trail.
This scent is thought to be laid down
by the feet and the perfect ant has no
difficulty in following it, no matter if
others have passed over it too.
Even in captivity ants are particu-
lar about keeping their houses as clean
as possible. In one room they have
a little trash heap, where they pile up
anything to be taken away. This i'm
provised ashcan is arranged in place
as far as possible from the young,
whose welfare is the controlling IN
Auence in every colony. If there is
a battle between two colonies all the
efforts Of each side are concentrated
on protecting its own young and try
ing to obtain possession of the eggs,
larve and pupa Of the alien colony.
The queen Of colony is glad to
welcome the eggs thus captured and
the workers are proud to be iDtrusted
with the care of those more advanced,
as there is some danger that the
queen, if unassisted in her work, will
calmly pick them up and cast them
upon the household rubbish heap if
they happen to be in the puP@ stage.
If she has a number Of servant: it
makes a difference, and che adopts
the pupa on the understanding that
the workers will take upon themselves
the responsibility Of caring for them.
During the battle the queen will
protect her young if alone, but should
there be slaves at hand to do this she
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