The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-06-29
STORIES OF ANTS.
Some host Remarkable Things About
This Busy Little Creature.

This Busy Little Creature.
THERE ARE NO ANT EERMITs.
They Are Social in Their Natures and
Live in Villages. They Have
Armies, slaves, Cows,
Farms and Pets.
Scientists declare that ants preceded
the human race as inhabitants OF the
earth by millions of years. It has been
said that such is their Intelligence
that the empire OF the world would be
theirs il they had bodies comparaole
to that of man. Their marvellous So
cial organization, riValing mans IN
complexity, have engaged the atten-
tion of naturalists for centurlfs. wiIn
the ants all species live in commun1-
ties. There are no ant hermits. Social
life with certain varieties Of the ants
is carried to the greatest extreme
known in nature.
Ants have villages, armies, COWS,
farms, pets and cemeteries. They have
demonstrated their power OF recogniz-
ing friends after long periods OF alb
sence. In proportion to its size, the
ant possesses enormous fighting power.
Studies have been made OF the weight
lifting capacity OF the ant which de.
monstrate the strength Of the little
claws used in the useful slaughter Of
the boil weevil.
An ant can hold suspended in his
nippers weight amounting to from
five to ten thousand times its own
weight. If a man Of $50 pounds could
| lift as much as an ant in proportion
to his size be could hold up 900, 600
pounds. There are more than two thou
sand species CT ants known to scl7n-
lis. Some estimates state that there
are probably as many as FIVE thousand
species in existence. There is a marx
ei uniformity Of habits and working
arrangements in the ant colonies
throughout the world.
One of the most remarkable va
rieties is the Wood Ant, which max
es a home rivaling the modern sky
scraper in it's elaborated arrangements.
The Wood Ants have been equipped
by nature with a very effective set OF
woodworking tools. The mandioles OF
the Guatemala auts mentioned as dead
ly enemies of the boil weeVil make
most serviceable weapons. With these:
in attacking an enemy, the ant seizes
the head Of a foe between the curved
weapons and penetrates the brain at
once.
Wherever ants are found in out-of-
the-way parts Of the world some eVl-
dence is always discovered OF their
gift for original development. IL the
East Indies, for instance, certain ants
of rather small size have among them
giant ants, kept in slavery. These
giant ants, hundred times as large
as themselves, the smaller animals use
very much as the native East Indian
uses MS trained elephants. Numbers
of the little ants may often be seen
riding about as human beings do on
elephants, upon the backs and heads
OF their gigantic slaves.
Many instances showing the know
ledge of cause and effect and constant
adapticns Of means to order desired
ends seem to indicate faculties in the
ant which it is difficult to diferenti-
ate from sense and reason. 1t has been
shown. that certain ants taken from
the nest and kept for two years were
cordially received on their return, and
their old comrades crowded around
them as if their homecoming were a
matter Of much interest. Strange ants
when put in nest were Invariably at
tackled and driven out or killed.
Many varieties Of ants keep COWS.
These amilch COWS consist OF in
sects belonging to the genus aphidae,
or plant lice. They are small, round,
pulpy little creatures. When an ant
wishes tc milk these COWS, as Is done
regularly several times a day, 1t
taps it on the back with it's antennae,
or feelers. This causes them to give
out a species of milk, which the ant
quickly devours. The COWS pasture
on fresh, green leaves, and have been
known to build little sheds OF
leaves over them. Fighting ants
show great judgment in making
war. They march in columns OF regu-
lar formation, and on the outside OF
the main column may be seen single
ants directing the movement OF the
force, like military offers. Many ant
villages bury their dead ic cemeteries
not far from their colonies. When an
ant dies two or more ants carry the
body followed by train Of mourners.
The body is buried in an excayated
grave.
Quite as interesting as any other
species of ant are the ordinary little
brown ants, which are to be found
wherever there are loose stones and
soft soil. Experiments with these lit
insects have shown that their favorite
color is red; that old and young ants
will not live together; that the female
ants have much more influence than
the males, as well as possessing q
greater amount Of intelligence. 1t is
astonishing to find among these be-
ings social conditions, industry and
Institutions apparently as complete as
those Of a well regulated republic.
Family life, with its joys and it's Ia
bors, may be observed in every detail.
Houses are built, enlarged and cared
for; children are fed and carried from
one place to another; there are bloody
combats, prolonged wars, victories, or
treaties, with their new frontiers
established and respected. 1t is
declared that the ants have a language
annonp themselves which is Thought