New-York tribune., 1905-08-20
ANTS rs UNDERTAKERS.
Insect Man Tells Ho70 They Deal
7Cith COckrOaches.


insect man to Tribune reporter one night last
week. a big dark brown cockroach came
speeding across the billiard room floor in well
known Fifth-ave. hotel Then the insect man
for every large New-York hotel has insect
man-explained his remark
81 don't bother to kill cockroach when I
see one scooting along because 1 know his
days numbered. The 'undertakers' will get
him"
What they?'
That's what call the black ants in this
basement said the insect man. 81 calls 'em
undertakers because they does up the cock
reaches an lugs 'em away and puts 'em out of
sight"
Having lighted the proffered cigar the insect
man, assured of a good listener, went on:
'Ye see, L used to have the fdgets when
seen a cockroach. and L wouldn't rest till I'd
killed him, but that before 1 caught to
what the black ants do to a cockroach Now"
he continued, after a hard pull at the weed,
I'm tellin' you only what 1 have saw. You
can depend on it that you won't have cock
reaches long if you have black ants l keep
the ants in one place. and they know their
holes as well as dogs cats. I've got colony
of 'undertakers,' as I calls 'em. under a board
in the storeroom- If they try to spread drown
'em, and they've got so they know their place.
The first time 1 the -undertakers' tackle a
cockroach was five years ago last winter, when
took the job of insect man here. I was settin'
over there by the door, near the wash basins
cne night when I seen a big, black roach
comm across the floor like an auto on a down
grade. He got to within five feet of me an
stopped. sudden like, same as a man does when
he's been to a store and suddenly wonders If
he's forgotten any of his wife's errands Well
this chap stopped and then turned around and
q 7 iunD fo lyUl
1 happened to see a black ant heading for him.
The next thing L noticed was that the roach
was in trouble He was making off but he
seemed to be crippled. Then the ant I spotted
rushed right over and Jumped onto Mr. Roach.
1 got down on my knees to investigate, and
found that big black ant was holding fast to
two legs of the roach-holdin' on like grim
death. When the second ant piled on to the
roach he grabbed another leg and bit it in the
Joint That crippled the roach pretty bad. but
he could stfH navigate little
Now. you may think I'm lying, but amt
One Of them ants suddenly let loose and run
like Suburban winner for home He went up
the wall like telephone message. and IN less
than three minutes he was on his way back
with squad OF ten ants, all runnin' to beat the
band The leader made beeline for the
roach, which had worried along about six feet
with one undertaken fast to his legs. The
reinforcements pitched onto the roach and
killed him Quicker'n you could say Jack Rob
tnson.
rhen the twelve dragged their victim over to
the wall. and there they stuck They couldn't
get the roach any farther. Then they seemed
TO hold a council. and feller piked off home
again. returning in few minutes with fifty or
sixty more undertakers.' They tried carrying
the roach up the wall and failed. But they
was dead gritty. few feet away the steam
pipes rest against the wall. and the whole
bunch Of undertakers got under and around
the roach and took him over to the steam
pipes There wasn't much steam on that night
and in twenty minutes them ants had carried
that dead roach up the steam pipes along a
moulding, into their den.
Tive watched 'em out after cockroaches many
times since. They usually hunt In pairs and
when they smell roach they'll lay In wait for
him roach can outrun 'em, two to one but
they'll somehow head him off now and then
and when one of them little black tundertakers'
once tackles cockroach it's all day with the
bug. The ant Will get word to the gang under
The plank. and before the bug knows It he's
being carried home to breakfast same as a
man would go out an shoot a bear It's be-
cause they act SO sure and solemn-like calls
'esn 'undertakers'