The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-09-28
NEW ORLEANS ANT PEST.

NEW ORLEANS ANT PEST.
Jesuit Scientists Plan War on Insect
Nuisance.
1t is well known fact that within
the last few years the ant nuisance in
New Orleans has increased to such ar
extent that householuers as we'll as
manufacturers and merchants have
been very seriously Inconvenience by
them, says the Times-Democrat OF that
city.
The question has proven an absorb
ing one for scientists, and from time
| to time research has been made for
the purpose of finding some relief
from their invasion. Two years ago
the superintendent of Audubon park.
then Mr.. Baker, sought some relief
from ants, but without avail. They
were destroying the plants and flow
ers, and were even attacking the
trees.
They seem to have made their way
from the upper section to the lower
section Of the city, Westisego, where
many ships land from all parts OF the
world. was first infested with them.
Then they made their way further
downtown.
It has been noted that these pests
attack woodwork of the finest mahog-
any mantels, armoirs, cedar chests.
floors and, in fact. everything that Is
eatable. They also attack fruit trees
and dollhouse plants.
Father Albert Biever, S. j., presi-
dent of Loyola college, has been max
ing investigations on the subject and
has just received an interesting COM
munication from Germany. Father
Biever had an experience with an at
tempt to send some of the ants to
Europe. Packages were done up In
to get of the earth, should be shown
such a manner as to get through the
mails but Uncle Sam refused to handle
them.
One package sent by express was
lost IN New York; then another was
sent, which reached its destination.
The New Orleans ants sent to Ger
many some time ago for special scien-
tific investigation reached their des-
tination at last. The Rev Eric Was
mann. S. j., to whom they were con-
signed and who is probably the great
est living authority on ants. says that
the New Orleans ant is the Iridomyr-
mex humilis (Mayr), a native of Bra
I'll and Argentina. and that it was
imported into Louisiana by merchant
ships. DR.. Wheeler, who is known
to be the best authority in America
on this group of Hymenoptera. classed
them some time ago under the same
species
Father Biever is now corresponding
with Jesuit scientists in Brazil and
Argentina to obtain full information
as to the results these strange ants
have achieved in their native land
and as to the methods employed to
check their wonderful spread and fear
full depredations. Father Biever be-
i!eves that this ant will prove one of
the great enemies of the contemplated
exposition because Of their numbers
and the persistent attacks they will
make upon everything that may be
exhibited.
Father Biever says these pests not
only attack and eventually kill plants
and fruit trees by placing parasitic
scale upon their stems and consume
everything edible about a house, but
complaints have come from some OF
tue best residents in the city that the
ants have honeycombed the fine wood
work of their residences, such as ma
hogany mantels and costly furniture.
with their destructive little forceps,
and that hardwood doors, tables and
chests have succumbed to- their raw
ages.