The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-08-07
GUATEMALAN RED ANTS
INTERESTING EXHIBIT OF INSECTS
TO Rid COUNTRY OF COT
TON PESTS.
Grasshopper an Easy Victim-ImpOrt-
ed Ants Fiercest and Strongest
Insects of Their Size Ever
Seen by Government
Scientists.

Washington Special to Brooklyn Eagle.
Secretary Wilson of the Department
of Agriculture received an interesting
exhibit the other day. 1t was a glass
lar containing about forty or fifty live
ly insects, in the future welfare of
which the cotton planters of the South
are nightly interested. The captives
are fierce looking red ants. imported all
the way from the mountains of Guat-
emala, and they are counted on to rid
this country of the boil weevil pest,
which last year destroyed about S2O,-
100000 of cotton.
The ants arrived in good shape after
their long voyage, and were carried at
once to the nursery adjoining the De-
partment building. They are to be
carefully fed and watered and protect
ed from harm in the hope that they
will multiply. The little foreigners
have already given evidence that they
| take kindly to their new home. and the
Department scientists hope in a short
| time to have large families of them to
ship to cotton growers in various parts
of the South where they may be turn
| ed loose for the work of DISCRIMINATING
the boil weevil.
The State of Texas has expended
| hundreds of thousands of dollars in a
! vain effort to find a chemical wash.
| powder or insect that will kill off the
weevil, and the National Governmen nj
has appropriated $250.000 for the same
! purpose 1t looks now as though the
| long looked for remedy has been found
| In the Guatemalan ant.
The scientists of the Department of
| Agriculture say that the imported ant
| is the fiercest and strongest insect of
| its size they have ever seen. Some
rare tales are related of the feats of
strength performed by the captives.
and If they display the same ferocious,
| life-destroying instincts on being re-
| leased in the cotton fields they are
bound to spread CONSERVATION amoug
the weevil colony. The ants are a dull
| red color and in size would make two
of the large black variety seen in our
woods. The jaws with which they are
equipped project in a threatening man
ner and are waved about constantly Is
! though in search of some object on
which to test their strength.
For the benefit of The Eagle corre-
spondent one of the attendants today
excited the ants to an exhibition of
their death dealing prowess The at
tendant picked up a small net, proceed
ed into the yard and with one skillful
cast captured vigorous grasshopper.
The latter was dropped into the jar
hihoh6 Nht AT IHe
time of the appearance of the grass
hopper there were not more than four
or five ants in sight, the balance being
in the nest formed at the bottom of
the dirt which half filled the jar. In
an instant the opening from below was
filled with red heads of charging ants
They swarmed to the surface, prepared
to do battle with the intruder. Some
Unanswered about for advantageous
positions. while other advanced reck-
lessly to the attack Two or three
great hops kept the larger insect out
of harms way for a minute, but In an
unwary instant he permitted one of his
rear legs to be seized in the Jaws Of
a watching ant He will never let
CO., remarked the attendant, as the
powerful nippers settled over the limb
The grasshopper, thoroughly alarmed,
drew up his leg with a jerk and quick
ly extended ii again in an endeavor to
shake off the ant. The move was I'M
successful. The attacking party then
edged along, seeking firm foothold
among the crevices of the earth. Fin
| ally it got a good grip and Immediately
hauled and pulled backward with vi
cious tuggings. Then came a great
struggle between the big hopper and
its tiny captors. Each strained with
might and main. 1t was an even af-
fair until suddenly with one supreme
yank. accompanied by twist of It's
heavy jaws, the ant actually pulled the
leg from its socket. The victor disap-
peared below the earth. bearing the
trophy, of battle with him. Thus ham
| dicapped, the finish of the topper came
swift and sure. His tormentors pur-
sued him relentlessly. and having lost
his jumping powers through an Injury
to the other leg his efforts to escape
became weaker and weaker. The ants