The San Francisco call., 1908-07-15
SCIENTISTS FEAR
INROAD OF PEST

That the terrible Argentine ant has
invaded more than one square mile IN
East Oakland was the statement made
by Prof. Charles Woodwork, head of
the department of entomology of the
university, at the opening session of
the chronological conference held on
the campus today. a sensation was
created among the assembled insect
experts by the assertion.
Professor Woodwork declared that
the ant is more to be dreaded than the
white fly of Marysville which last year
destroyed millions of dollars worth of
crops. Such an impression did the
statement of Professor Woodwork
make that the scientists adjourned
their meeting and visited the devas-
tated territory in East Oakland.
SO serious does Professor Woodworth
consider the ant invasion that he has
sent the following letter to Governor
Gillett regarding the matter:
Hon. J. NJ. Gillett, Governor of the State OF
l have the unpleasant information to report
that the Argentine ant has gained foothold in
East Oakland and now occupies about one square
in the United States only in the region about
New Orleans. and the secretary of the Louisiana
state crop pest comm ission in the last report OF
the governor of that state writes that this insect
has proved itself TO be of the most injurious
that has been introduced into the United States
from foreign countries.
"a most serious aspect of the problem is found
in the destruction of orange and hg crops in the
southern districts by the ant, and danger to sugar
by its continued increase.
1t seems to me that the Introduction of the in
sect is far greater menace than the introduction
Of the white fly discovered a year ago at Marys-
vile. | have already reported the matter TO
State Horticultural Commissioner j. W. jeffrey,
but | considered IL important enough TO report di
rect to you. C. W. WooDWORTH-
Unlike ordinary ants which do con-
siderable damage, the New Orleans or
Argentine ant is so voracious that prac-
tically everything in the way of plants
and wood is eaten. Professor Wood
worth, who is an authority on insect
pests and their determination, declared
that the ant had baffied all scientific
skill for it's destruction. He said to-
day:
domyrmea Humilis Mayr, it Is scientifically
known, small. dark brown insect, discov-
cred In the Mississippi valley in 1904. Since
that time 1t has completely overrun 5000 square
miles of territory and there is no possible check
to its ravages. If the insect breeds as fast it
has in the Mississippi valley l predict that un-
less a check be found all of California will
be covered by the ant within the next 10 years.
The insect is worse than the white fly pest of
Marysyille and is even deadly to the human
Many instances are recorded in the south
where ants have killed children.
No poison remedy to check the ant has been
discovered by science. 1t readily walks over
water. and table legs placed in that liquid to
prevent the ant from eating II is no remedy.
Poison is of little avail.
In East Oakland the insect has not yet be-
come than a menace. 1t has covered a
square mile of territory, and, while the losses it
has occasioned have been great, they will be
greater unless something is done TO check them.
The entomologists who visited East
Oakland today from Twentieth avenue
east, where the ant is most prevalent,
were:
Prof. C. W. Woodworth G. F. Colby
w. II. Volck 81. B. sIitzmain
Ralph Benton ". T. Clarke
J. S. Hunter G. w. Herrick