The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-01-21
BLACK AND RED ANTS
TWO COLONIES IN A FIERCE BATTLE
TO THE DEATH.

TO THE DEATH.
Human Warfare Paralleled In This
Conflict Between the Vicious In
sects-Three Days Fighting Before
Victory Came to the Reds.
Was it the attempted application Of
the doctrine of territorial expansion?
Was 1t a case of forcing a higher or
der of civilization upon an energetic
and unwilling race? Was it retaliation
for real or fancied insult to national
honor? Was it perhaps because Of an
interest In the slave trade or gold
mine or a diamond mine? Was it any
or none Of these reasons that led to the
terrific and decisive battles of which
was an interested witness some years
ago? 1t will perhaps never be deter
mined what were the causes underly-
ing struggle of three days duration.
marked by carnage, feats Of strength
and deeds of valor such as are rarely
the lot Of the historian to record.
was sitting one summer afternoon
In the shadow of my cottage near q
stunted lilac bush when my attention
was attracted to horde of large black
ants crossing a narrow roadway which
lay between my house and that Of
nel2hbor In the same yard Their OBJ
Jective point, I soon perceived, was the
foot Of the lilac, the ground around
which had been honeycombed by little
red ants less than half as large a. the
others.
There seemed to be an unusual excite
ment here. Possibly sentry or scout
had brought news to the colony Of the
approaching army. At least they were
not being attacked unawares. The in
vaders were met near the foot of the
bush, and the war was on. The battle
ground was confined to a space per-
haps three feet square. but here among
| the hillocks and ravines in miniature
all the tragedies and triumphs Of war
| were enacted.
There were at first arrangement and
order when van met van, but the con-
| fict soon resolved itself into q general
| catch as catch can encounter. Woe to
the red ant luckless enough to get into
the jaws of its larger foe! One closing
up Of those powerful instruments, and
crushed, helpless mass was flung
| aside. The smaller, however, had the
| advantage both In numbers and agility
| and fought in pairs or triplets. Thus
while the black ant generally killed
one or more of Its antagonists 1t was
itself doomed. The duration of battle
varied from Eve to fifteen minutes.
ceased by. the disappearance Of the In
vaders, to be suddenly renewed later.
1t was pathetic during these periods
Of truce to note the casualties and the
movements on the fateful field. Busy
little army surgeons or possibly mem
bers Of the Red Cross corps hurried
from one mangled body to another.
Sometimes a feeble response on the
part of the wounded soldier to the anx'
ious inquiry Of the relief was no
ticeable. The solicitous and universal
sympathy of the unharmed for theil
less fortunate companions was q sight
never to be forgotten. The ground was
strewed with bodies In all stages OF
dismemberment-leg gone, antenna
missing, head severed from the body
the body itself sectioned. Here anG
there one mortally wounded dragged
itself slowly and painfully to some OBJ
scure spot to die. Others were helpet
away to place Of security, but in sucl
condition that 1t Is safe to infer the!
passed their remaining days in a hos
pital or some home for the disabled
For three days. In at least as man.
battles each day, the conflict ragged
Each day witnessed perceptible thin
ming out Of the ranks, but the vigo
and spirit of the contest kept up til
near the close.
DESTROYS of knowing what effect tn
presence of strange surroundings woul'
have on the combatants, procured
large glass dish and captured severa
of both species. This I repeated q
various times. Invariably, while a
first trying to escape upon becoming
aware Of each others presence the.
grappled and fought to the death
Valor, honor, hatred, revenge-wha
was it?-dominated entirely over fear.
Against the stubborn resistance an
greater numbers Of their antagonist
the Invaders could not hold out.
panic finally seized the survivors sue
as comes upon human warriors-an ur
utterable, unreasoning fear-and, thol
oughly defeated In their object, what
hostilities ceased any unusual nois
near their dwellings would send eac
individual hurriedly to shelter as II a
avenger were at its heels.-Scientifi
| American.