The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-08-19
Wcevils Only Attacked When They
Move-ImpOrted Colonies Are Multi
plying Rapid1y-Texas Ants Killed
by Foreign variety-Plan to Estab-
lish Colonies Near Victoria, Tex.

lAO 4AOAA In = W.
lessor 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 of the nest with the
queen cell having been carefully ln-
cased and Guatemalan dirt placed in
the jar. The colonies have multiplied
greatly since the ants were put in the
bottles, and Entomologist Cook arrived
with about 5000 healthy specimens, di-
vided 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 nov
ing insect they will at once attack. The
weevil plays possum, and so long as it
stays perfectly still the ants crawl over
and around it without any attempt at
molestation. When a weevil moves it
is at once seized and an effort made to
force back it's head that the ant may
get its sting on the exposed flesh of the
neck, the armor Of the weevil protect
ing its body elsewhere. II one ant is
not sufficiently strong for this work It
is assisted by a fellow, there appearing
to be perfect harmony between them
and an understanding as to how to
work together. So far no weevil has
been found to escape when once at
tackled.
There being a fear that perhaps the
its own against the native red ants,
which are generally considered as be-
ing vicious, a number of them were
procured and placed in a nest of the
Guatemalans. The result was ascer-
tanned within a very few seconds, the
Texans being wiped out and put in
storage as food. Inasmuch as the
Texas ants are generally regarded as a
nuisance by the farmer, the Guate-
malans may prove a relief from them
as well as from the weevils.
It has been further ascertained that
the ants frequent the cotton plants for
the nectar thereof. They appear to be
very fond of this secretion and so are
the boil weevils. The ants swarm over
the cotton plant and attack the weevil
as quickly as found, seeming to prefer
the insect food to the nectar.
It is proposed to establish colonies
of the ants on the farm near Victoria
controlled by the government for ex-
detrimental purposes. The plan is to
i-1l0cD n ohn,,% %Vryo1ro. fnn$
square and to establish a colony at
each corner thereof. The nests now
contained in the bottles will be taken
therefrom and set in the ground, it
being the hope that the ants will at
once esum their normal habits and
go to housekeeping without loss Of
time. Thick stakes and sheets Of tin
will be sunk into the ground to such
depth as will make it as certain as
may be that the ants cannot burrow
beneath them, and the tin will be ex-
tended upward to the stockade. Here
they will be fed or cotton plants with
in the Enclosure. SO that the ants may
be at liberty to attack them without
having the task forced upon them. The
study Of the habits Of the insects will
be maintained at all times and an ac-
curate log kept. They will be observed
at night as we'll as by day to determine
their nocturnal habits.
It is expected that they will hibernate
during the winter, as do the native va
rieties, but the latter have some bad
habits which will be looked for in the
visitors. Arrangements will be made
to SO construct at least one of the colo
MES that a portion Of its interior may
be observed from time to time.
There will be nothing further done
about the injunction asked by Ross
Clark. DR.. Hunter has given his per-
sonal pledge that there shall be no
liberation of the ants until it has been
definitely determined that there is no
danger Of their becoming a pest, and as
that was the sole point in Mr.. Clark's
contention he rests satisfied.
A large number of applications are
already on file from cotton planters
asking for colonies of the ants and
agreeing to take them on any condition
that may be imposed by the govern
ment.
American Naval Move.
The United States navy intends to
emulate Germany in equipping all war
ships with miniature skeleton models