Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1909-10-15
TEXAS HUNTS ANTS
Federal Scientist Searching for
Species from Argentine
Pests Are Pronounced Vicious ane
Are Proof Against Means Gener-
ally Used to Destroy Insects
Multiply Very Rapidly.

Galveston, Tex.-Dr. Delos Var |
Dine of the bureau of entomology
United States department of agricul
ture, is in Galveston on an ant-hunt.
ing expedition. DR.. Van Dine is asso-
ciated with the southern field crop in
sect investigation. under the direction
of w. d. Hunter. in charge of the
laboratory at Dallas, and is III charge
of the department of insects affecting
sugar cane and rice.
Dr.. Van Dine is searching for
special kind of ant said to be very de.
structive, and which has been import
ed into the country from Argentina,
and hoping and praying he might not
find it 1t is known that these ants
have got foothold in Louisiana and
other states, even as far west as Cali
fornia, and the government is anxious
to eradicate them as quickly as pos,
sible.
1t is believed these ants, which in
general appearance differ very little,
if any, from other ants found in this
country, got into this country through
fruit and other shipments imported
from Argentina.
DR.. Van Dine has Just completed a
|
ing sections of Texas and is on his
: way to the Louisiana fields. Incl
, dentally he is searching for this new
ant, but SO far has not discovered any
. in Texas, even though they are in
3 large numbers in the sugar-cane sec
l ton of Louisiana and in New Orleans
:. are doing considerable damage.
Z The department requests samples
| 1Ro Id 80 IN, Col
4 sent to the government chronological
/ bureau at Dallas Just kill few ant:
and mail them in a small box to this
!. address, and the experts will examine
. them and find out III any of the Argen
d tine specimens are among them. The!
Il may be found, If here, in the restau
s. rants, hotels and homes.
n This ant drives out all other ants
4. some of which are beneficial insects
y 1t also forms alliances with the meal
bug and plant lice and protects thes
most destructive insects, which d.
G stroy sugar cane, rice and other crops
These Argentine ants are vicfou
:. things, which destroy the good il
sects and protect and encourage tn
others. These insects multiply rapi'
ly and are wonders in the ant famil
IL is SalQ CldI insect pOWu0Ts germ
cides and other insect destroyers hay
no terror for these Argentine ant
- and that they can bridge many o
= stacles heretofore said to be impre
- nable against ant invasions. For !
=. stance, the water vessels in which tt
-, legs of tables are set do not det
these ants. When an army of Arge
- tine ants invades home and fin,
=. the cupboards and tables surround
by vessels containing water the col
a. mander of the ant army simply q
,4ts crees that a sufficient number of
- sects be killed to form a bridge, ov
=, which the living army crosses t
e. water and invades the tables or sic
- boards.
Now that the ant has invaded IL
country and promises to continue (
Laying and destroying crops. UnC
Sam is anxious to find some way
ex. wiping out the entire family. Wi
ost this end in view, one of the create
VS. experts in this country on ants
nv now experimenting under the dir
inv ton of William Newell, in charge
ent the crop pest commission in Lou
csc lana It is said the known poisc
md that destroy or drive away the
of binary ant have no effect upon tht
ops tough-skinned revolutionists from
5 a South American republic, and sor
he thing more effective will have to
invented to wipe them out.