New-York tribune., 1906-12-16
A PEST OF ANTS.
Ner Orleans Suffering from It
Supposed TO Hare Come 7cifk Fruit.

New Orleans. Dec. = (Special).- This city has
been suffering untold annoyance for several
months from an innumerabIe host Of ants.
Louisiana had. up to the arrival of this ag-
rressive horde. domestic ant small, brownish-
red and relatively harmless 1t WAS not prone
20 make its ha bitat in dwellings and its food
consisted principally OF sweets. ANY ordinary
precaurion was sufficient keep ont this little
fellow. But about a year ago they began to d.
uinish in numbers. and another species. larger,
Of a decidedly redder hue and possessing enor-
NOUS mandibles in proportion TO the size OF the
Individual was observed and before long the
Indigenous insects seemed 10 have entirely van
tshed and an immense multitude Of the new
coTners took their place.
! This was the beginning OF period OF tribula-
tton for the people of New Orleans. Nothing ex-
Dept iron. marble and brick seemed safe from
The voracious appetite Of the unwelcome Wis
fors. They devoured all articles Of food that
happened 10 have been left unprotected. and
ehey We're just as partial also paper. clothing
and old shoes So unendurabIe became the nui-
kance that al last cry went out for delVtrer.
The Rev. Albert Biever, s J., who has given
3 con4derable time and study 10 insect life ana
whose writings and lectures on that subject
have won for him reputation, volunteered on
behalf Of the suffering community TO discover
ne means 10 get rid of the pests and the
same time TO trace their origin After exam
ming many specimens Father Biever ventured
Central America and that they must have come
here with the shipments of bananas on board
the fruit ships plying between this port and
Ehe Bay Islands Of the Caribbean Sea.
Father Biever experimental with several diff
Serent chemical compositions which in his judg-
snent should have annihilated. dried up and eX-
singuished the red ants. But they seemed to
Shrive and find exceeding delight in the various
noisons that Father Biever literally dosed them
with The little colonies which he captured and
isolated seemingly greatly pleased with
She attentions bestowed upon them and were
es happy IN digesting the various deleterious
drugs the little domestic ants used 10 be in
consuming sugar and syrups.
Finally Father Biever decided 20 invoke the
sid of A fellow scientist Jesuit priest Of Lux
enbuTg, Germany. eminent for his researches.
hbors and writings insect life. Father BieveT
carefully prepared n number Of specimens for
Ehipment 10 Father Naslnan at LuNelnburg, ana
wrote 10 the latter Informing him fully about
the great calamity which was affecting the
people Of New Orleans, and asking him, after
receipt of the box of ants, to give his opinion
rs to the native haunts. the right classification
of the ants and what means could be employed
10 destroy them
from Father Wasman letter saying that the
notice Of shipment of the box at hand, but
nothing else had materialiZed. Father Wasman
wanted 10 know what had become OF the box
a5e said he could do nothing nor communicate te
any facts until his eyes had rested upon the
Ensects. Father Bieyer lost no time III inquiring
a fhs express company's office for his precious
rackage, and was told the usual stoTy-that
stens would be taken to trace the package, and
fhat Que notice would be given when found. The
box Of ants WAS forwarded IN the first week in
6eptember. and up TO the present time its
whereabouts remains a mystery Father Biever
was I'm despair. as ne had set his heart with
earnestness on the expected result Of Father
Nasman's researches ana study. After the re-
ceipt Of Father MaSman s communication + alher
Biever inserted the following advertisement IN
the want columns or the local press;
LOST STRAYED OR sTOI-EN.-One box choice
louisiana ants ready packed for export ANY N
formation leading to PecoE1TE OF same R'l De
president of I,oyola College. New Orleans
And here the problem rests until an answer Is
received to Father Bievers imporing advertise
Iiouseboiders in this city have tried every pos
sfblc means 90 get rid of the nterloping insect
They have tried am paper. ant tape and other
appliances sold i'm The drug stores and sup
posed TO Toe equivalent against ants 10 an arrest
of Judgment In the United States courts against
ntigauts They isolated all sweets on tables
whose supports rested in shallow vessels filed
with coal oil These precautions We're usually
admirably effective as against the domestic ant,
but the red ant smiled. moved its mandihles IN
Its sarcastic way, and went right along over ant
paper and ant tape II II We're much desir-
able pasture. and waited patiently until enough
dirt and dust had filmed the coal oil in the
pans and then il would cross over. scramble
up the table and make its onslaught the food
OF article that was supposed 10 be safe from its
attack.
in despair the distracted householders would
summon every member Of the family and start
fn a hunt for the nests OF the red ant, and when
ever colony was detected between the cracks
OF the floor or between bricks in the yard il
was immediately SOuSed with boiling water. But
numerous hiding places remained undiscovered
u CreviCes Of walls. under the shingles and
states on roofs. and, in fact, in many places tu
which access was difficult if not impossible.
When one sweetened his coffee IN restaurant
OF home he was met with wiggling. squirming
xnts in the sugar bowl There was an ant for
every hundred grains Of sugar and the cheap
sst way out Of the difficulty, as experience
proved was 10 pour ants sugar and all into the
coffee cup and then FISH out the insects as they
Tosted 10 the surface.
Taking UP a napkin there would be found a
Sne OF the busy little creatures engaged in chas-
tng here and there searching out attractive spots
on the linen.
When one opened a hymn book in church the
EsveT present ant would greet him from the pages
ipf notes, huTTying hither and thither and dis
tfracting attention The minister encountered IN
Rrnly of the creatures when he discovered his
rext in the Bible. and had TO make a sweep with
's1is handkerchief before the lines Of Holy Writ
scould be disoeTned.
Coming down in the streetcar each morning
etiquette demanded this stereotyped address:
Pardon me, but you have several ants on
sSpur collar"
4 And the man IN front would he expected to
.1mply murTnur his thanks. while the be
fNind removed the troublesome pests from his
fntherTSise immaculate linen.
The city IS still suffering from the ant plague
Although in less virulent degree than in
t5e summer. partly because of the vigorous cru
sade undertaken and partly account OF the
Advent OF the cooler season, during which the
ant retires TO its nest and remains ouescent
15Intfl spring.
THE NEGRO IN BRAZIL.