Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-23

portance to California growers. At the
Louisiana experiment station at Audu-
bon Park the production of oranges
was entirely prevented this year
through the attack of these insects
upon the opening blossoms. or II these
escape, upon the young fruit itself. 1t
was too late in the season for me to
see the method of attack when I vis-
tied New Orleans, but, as described to
me, 1t consists in the insect simply
boring into the center of the bud and
eating or injuring enough of the sub
stance to cause its destruction. This
method Of attacking the blossoms of
plants is not. by any means confined
to oranges, since many other kinds of
flowers are also attacked. The ant has
entirely destroyed the cut flower indus
try in New Orleans. In some Of the
orchards about New Orleans numerous
methods have been tried to prevent the
insects climbing the trees, but even as
effective a barrier as tree tanglefoot
has proved effective only for a day or
two. The insects soon cross the bands
upon particles of dust or upon the dead
bodies of other members Of the COL
onies. There is a possibility that our
method of keeping dry mulch on the
surface of the ground in orchards will
prevent the formation of burrows, and
therefore keep our orchards fairly free
from the insects, but their habit of
nesting among the roots of trees. and
that Of travelling long distances may
enable them, nevertheless, to do the
same injury here as in Louisiana.
Household Pest
1t is primarily. however, as house,
hold pest that this insect has made it.
self dreaded in Louisiana. No insect
has ever given the people OF that dis
lob and M
sect has been so hard to control as
the Argentine ant. 1t has fully main
tanned it's reputation In the Infested
districts here in California. It's habits
are very similar to those of other spe
cies, but it's ceaseless wandering and
small size enable it to seek out every
hiding place, and whenever food is
found they will soon be swarming In
countless numbers.
The old anc well-known method OF
placing the legs of tables in dishes Of
water for instance is of no avail what
ever against this species of ants. since
the slightest accumulation of dust on
the surface of the water furnishes a
sufficient bridge over which the ant
can pass. 1t is a very general feeder,
eating anything that other species of
ants attack, including all kinds OF
food materials, and both Professor
Illus anu 4OACSSOt 4NCWCAA 4OPOIt
cases where they have directly at
tackled infants in a most distressing
manner, and are capable of biting Sc
verely enough to be quite nuisance
to larger human beings.
It is much more successful than any
of our native species in obtaining food.
Just outside Of the infested district
the native species are normally abun-
dant. An area which would afford
foraging ground for a hundred native
ants is infested by fully 10000 of the
Argentine species.
The Argentine ant proves very an
noying in warehouses and stores, as
we'll as In residences. Every kid of
food product seems to be attacked by
these creatures. Fruits, dry and fresh.
meal, sugar, etc. are all subject to
attack, and the impossibility of pro-
tecting such products from attack
makes it unusually exasperating.
Occurrence In California
We already have numerous species
Of ants in this state. The family to
which this ant belongs is distinguished
from other ants by the structure of
the face. shown in figure 2. In related
ants the ridges near the antennae arise
from the upper edge Of the clypeus.
The most satisfactory character for
Identification Of the Argentine ant In
distinguishing It from the other MEM
pers OF this family Is the arrangement