The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-08-05
THE GUATEMALAN ANT.
Government Will Nurse the Expcr.-
ments Closely.


ments Closely.
There is great demand for the
Guatemalan ants from the cotton
planters Of Texas. says q Houston Lei
ter; but the government entomolosists
are to KEEP the imported colonies
carefully during the remainder of the
season and through the winter TO see
what their habits are.
The ants are In the gover1me1 {
laboratory at Victoria Under the di
rect charge oT DR.. Hunter, in charge
q that brach Of the government work
in Texas; Entomologist Cook, who
brought the insects from Guatemala.
and Prof. Lowton, curator of the civic
museum of Philadelphia, who is at
present engaged in the government
work in Texas.
The ants were brought into Texas
in bottles, the heart IF the nest with
the queen cell having b. en- carefully
encased and Guatemalan dirt placed
In the jar. The colonies have multi
piled greatly since the ants were put
in the bottles, and Entomologist co lk
arrived with about 5000 healthy
specimt MS, disiLed into eighty nine
colonies.
Several facts have already been de-
termined in the experiments which
are being conducted. 1t has been
found that the ants will not seek the
weevil, but that when they run across
a moving irsec they will at once at
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so long as it stays perfectly still the
ants crawl over and around it without
any attempt at molestation. When a
weevil moves 1t is seized at once and
an effort made to force back it's head
that the ant may get It's sting on the
exposed flesh Of the neck, the armor
of the weevil protecting its body else
where. II one ant Is not sufficiently
strong for this work it is assisted by q
fellow, there appearing to be perfect
harmony between them and an under
standing as to how 10 work together.
So far no weevil hls been found to
escape when once attacked.
There being a fear that perhaps the
imported ant would not be able to
hold its own against the native red
ants, which are generally considered
as being vicious, a number Of them
" ere procured and paced in nest Of
the Guatemalans. The result was
ascertained within very few seconds,
the Texans being wiped out and put In
storage as food inasmuch as the Texas
ants are generally regarded az a
nuisance by the farmer, the Guate-
malans may prove a relief from them
as we'll as from the weevls.
1t has been further ascertained that
the ants frequent the cotton plants
for the nectar thereof. They appear
to he very fond Of this secretion, and
SO are the boil weevils. The ants
swarm over the cotton plant and at
tack the weevil as quickly as found
seeming to prefer the insect food u
the nectar.
1t is proposed to establish colonie:
OF the ants on the farm near Victoria
controlled 10y the government for ex
perlmental pupoSes. The plan is tC
| inclose place about II feet square
and to establish colony at each corn
er thereof. The nests now contained
| ~ otiS coOOiSo VIII NC Udhcll IL
and set in the ground, 1t being the
hope that the ants will at once resume
their normal habits and 30 to house
keeping without loss Of time. Thick
stakes and sheets OF tin will be sunk
into the ground to such depth as viii
make it as certain as may be that the
ants cannot burrow beneath them
and the tin will be extended upward
to prevent them crawling over the
top Of the stockade. Here they viii
be led on cotton plants within the in
closure, so that the ants may be al
liberty to attach them with out hav
Ing the task forced upon them. The
study OF the habits OF the Insects viii
be maintained at all times and ar
accurate log kept. They will bt
observed at night as well as by day tt
determine as to their nocturna
habits
1t Is expected that they will hiber
nate during the winter, as do the ma
tive varieties, but the latter hav,
some bad habits which will be looked
Tor In the visitors. Arrangements viii
be made to so construct at least on,
or the colonies that a portion OF its In
terror may be observed from time Il
time.
There will be nothing further dom
about the injunction asked by Ros
Clark. DIR. Hunter has given his per
sonal pledge that there shall be n,
liberation OF the ants until it has beer
definitely determined that thste Is n.
danger of their becoming pest, ant
as that was the sole point in Mr.
Clark's contention he rests satisfied d
! a large number Of applications ar