Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-07-21

the two end boards were Nsll taffed
where they rested upoA Ne Lloos.
This had stood over 4 year unmclest-
ed; but one morning. on coming from
my room, / suddenly heard the tap
ping Of the sentinals warning the
workers to retreat, otherwise the
work Of the little insects might have
passed unnoticed.' on examination
1t was found that the ants had come
up to the very top end Of the board,
spread themselves on each shelf ana
injured all the books nearest the
end. AS the clay was wet, the work
must have baen done in a single
night.
Illustration after illustration might
be given of the work Of these pests.
Bags of grain which are supposed to
be placed high and secure are often
entered by them and nearly half the
grain is spoiled before the destruc-
ton is detected. Corncribs are built
upon poles and elevated nearly two
feet from the ground, yet the ants
often find an entrance and begin
their work. Travellers have unwit-
tingly placed their shoes on the
ground over night and in the morn
ing found that portion Of the sole
was eaten off. A reed fence was
built around our garden; in a year
and a half nearly all had fallen down
on account of the posts being eaten
off. Along the railroads, not only
are rails of steel, but the ties and
telegraph poles alike. Sister Taylor
could tell you that more than once
when she went to retire for the night,
she found the top OF the bed covered
with these ants marching around,
they having fallen through hole III
the ceiling. She would no doubt add
that they are excellent food for your
young chicks.
What has been written will no
doubt give the reader a little idea OF
the destruction caused by these In
sects as we'll as the great amount OF
extra labor involved. Even a brick
wall is by no means proof against
them unless the foundation is care
fully covered with zinc.
Other Ants.
We shall not attempt to mention
all the different kinds Of ants found
in Africa because we are not famil-
, lar enough with them, SO few must
suffice.
First come the large black ants
whose sole business seems to be to
make war on the white ant These
live in holes in the ground from
which they come like mighty army
: Each one secures a white ant and
then they return in an orderly man
ner to their home without molesting
. anyone. Whatever object crosses
their line of march is sure to be bit
ten.
The black scavengers are also very
:, numerous and seem determined to
: find their way into the pantry OF
\ where the provisions are kept, They
! especially like meat and grease.
Passing over many other kinds, W.
! shall close the article by reference tc
!, the most vicious kind which we have
] vet seen. This is the army ant--a
a small, reddish-black ant. AS theii
/, name indicates, they travel In grea'
:, armies and are fighters, They have
|, most powerful jaws and know how
;, to use them. So far as our experience
goes these only travel in the rainy
SEASON when the ground is soft. They
travel along in a fixed direction, only
> a few abreast but in long line
Sometimes they require at least two
or three days in passing a given point
When they enter hut every one else
!. thinks the safest course is to leave
until they see fit to vacate. Several
q tins our boys had to seek otnei
i shelter in the middle Of the night. A
hen and two guinea-fowl were pen
ned in a coop. In the morning they
J. we're found dead and covered Will
: these tiny creatures eating their way
,nto the bodies. At first we thougn'
' something had killed them, but th'
a boys declared the ants had done II
: The coop and all inside was burnt
q Several days later, after dark, tn'
j sheep began to bIeat most piteoSuiy
n We took the lantern, calling some o.
L the boys and went to gee what wal
o thu matter. We had no soone'
reached the pen than multitudes o.
4 these insects we're viciously Digging
i into my body and had to flee. Tn
!. boys managed to let the sheep out
: After that experience there was nj
- II a.