The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-19
BUSY KANSAS Ant
u. s. Government Is Investigate
ing His Habits.
MOundbuilders Who Are De-
structive to Vegetation.
SHUNS HOT WEATHER
Works Only When the AtmoS.
phere Is Cool.
Three Native Sons of Leaven-
enworth in Congress.

Washington, April 19.-Kansas has a
new affection. according to the federal
scientific experts. This time it is not
political, but chronological. 1t appears
from researches and Investigations
made by the department of agriculture.
that serious invasion of ants has
struck the country. and in a report on
the subject made by authority Of the
department some startling tales are told
of the doings of these ants, of their
savage ferocity, their disposition to at
tack man, and their intelligence.
To begin with, they are mound build
ers- The government experts find these
are much as six feet in diameter and
sometimes two feet high. All vegeta-
ton for a distance of five to ten feet
around the mounds is removed and the
mound is built in the exact geometrtcal
center of the cleared space.
One of the strange features about the
mounds is that they have a number of
Iunnel-shaped openings through which
the ants pass in and out These open
ings are closed about sunset or during
the day at the approach of a storm and
opened in the morning at about or 9
o'clock in summer. The closing is done
so Well that a very close examination
| is necessary to determine where the op-
enings have been.
1t appears the ants take a siesta on
hot days. ION hot days in summer"
so the official report runs. the workers
return to the mound before noon and
remain inside the hottest part of the
day. On cool days the entire day is
spent outside
Not the least remarkable fact about
these remarkable ants is that they
make rain-proof roof for their mounds.
The roof is of particles of soil. cement
ed together. Beneath this, the mound
and the soil directly under it to great
depth is honey-combed with circular
chambers from one to three inches
across and from one-hah to one inch
high. These chambers are connected by
galleries about three-e1ghthS of an inch
in diameter and of various lengths.
Some of these are filed with seeds, 9TH
erS by the young, others by adults.
The females of the colonies do the work.
In some of the colonies are as many as
10000 workers.
Thus far the ants have not seriously
ravaged the crops, but they show
disposition to attack human beings
that is most troublesome Moreover,
the mounds in some cases are so thick
as to interfere with the harvesting of
the crops. If a mound is disturbed the
ants swarm forth in great numbers.
The females are armed with StingS and
they deliver a sting as savage as that
of a yellowjacket or a bumblebee. aside
from from seizing the luckless human
being with their mandibles or pinchers,
infiicting wounds that are extremely
painful. Children in yards where the
ants establish themselves are unhesi-
tatingly attacked and severely pun
ished for their carelessness- The de-
partment has failed to find any natural
enemies of the ants, but has fumi-
gated the mounds with some success
with carbon bisulphide-
Leayenworth has the distinction of
having three OF It's native sons in con-
gress at the same time. William P.
Borland. who represents Jackson coun-
ty. Missouri, or the Fifth district of the
state. was born in Leavenworth; Ed
ward L. Taylor. representing the Sec
ond Colorado district, also spent his
boyhood DAYS in Leavenworth and
graduated from the high school The
other member native born of the city.
is the representative of the Second
Kansas district, Dan r. Anthony.
Mrs. D. r. Anthony of Leavenworth
is in Washington, visiting her son,
Congressman Anthony, and family, at
1888 Massachusetts avenue.