The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-11-17
UGLY DRIVER ANTS
All Living Creatures Fly Before
These African Terrors.
THEY BUILD LIVING BRIDGES.
When an Army Of These Formidable
and Feroclous Insects Want TO Cross
n River . Suspension Nube Of Their
Own Bodies Provides the way.

Own Bodies Provides the Way.
Why should driver ants cross rivers: !
The ants Of our own woods nave no
such desire; they are busy little people.
TOO much engaged in the practical task
of finding aud storing food 60 have any
vagaries Of this sort. They are con-
tented and harmless II not disturbed
or annoyed. An angry ant IL 20 be
avoided. and an angry swarm can
make Its displeasure felt in very IN
pleasant way. as every one knows who
has carelessly broken into nest Bur
III left alone they are peaceful little
workmen. absorbed In their own
Affairs.
The great driver or Bashikoney ant.
however. has nothing peaceable in his
composition. He is nothing II not az
gressive and spiteful: neither IL be con
tented. In the great forests Of Africa
these insects multiply to an alarming
extent. They swarm In thousands.
perhaps millions. and. formidable mt
any time. during the season Of migra-
ton they are a terror to the whole
district In which they i've.
Myriads of these insects are seized
with restless desire for change. Obey
ing some mysterious instinct or follow
ing the commands OF their queen. they
set out upon their travels. and woe
betide the man, or beast that crosses
their path. In a moment the hapless
creature is covered with ants. and In
an incredibly short space OF time moth
ing is left but bare bones.
The driver ant is so called because
it drives away all living creatures
When this most terrible host To- on the
march men and animals. great AMI
small, take flight Lions and tigers
may be seen rushing along side by
side with the timid gazeile. All are
too much frightened to dream OF at
! lacking or avoiding each other. For
once I'm their lives they are united I'm
their terror Of the common enemy.
| Size and strength are OF no avail. and
| q rhinocer0s or an elephant In as much
| terrified and is in as much danger as
| a rabbit
| When the vast army OF ants arrive
on the bank OF river a halt Is call
: ed. They have no idea OF turning
back. but TO cross that river they must
have a bridge. and the making OF this
bridge takes time. and probably the
engineers OF the army have 70 hustle
up to the front.
The making Of an ant bridge is one
] OF the most wonderful things In the
/ world The ants swarm on a tree
j choosing one which overhangs the riv
err Upon the bough which reaches
farthest over the stream they mass
! themselves and begin to form thick
rope of their own bodies. This they
do by means Of holding on firmly witt
their hind legs. while with the from
pair Of legs they grasp the bodies Of
other ants. Constantly fresh ants
| range themselves in front. and so The
rope grows and grows until at last 4
I touches the water
BY and by the foating chain Is car
j ried by the current toward the othel
/ side where probably grass and greai
reeds spring out OF the water. The
foremost ants seize upon the first Oh
i ject they tonch. and from one slendel
!
at last they reach land. The neares
tree is quickly climbed. the foremos
pairs Of legs doing all the work. and
very soon the living rope II swinging
d high above the river The bridge I
made. and quickly the army crosses thI
stream
Du Chaillu. in his African travels
had an opportunity of observing one Q
these bridges. and he declares that
is made with a hollow center, tn
living bodies of the ants forming tn
walls of tunnel. through which tn
main body of ants travel safely Owe
J the water. When the last ant ha
crossed and the bridge is no longe
needed. the ants in the rear releas
their hold and the rope or tunnel drop
into the river The ants do not lik
water. bur they are soon released iron
this position. for the vanguard are dis
. persing as fast as they can. and tn
self sacrificing ants who began th
great chain are quickly upon dry land
1t is all very strange and very won
, derfnl. Why do they travel at all
By what direction and by what law
do they act. and how did they learn t
make bridges: Our natufalists hav
learned much of their ways and thei
doings. but these questions they canno
answer: they are part of the myster
OF life aud nature of which the wises
knows littIe.-.I Cutler in London Fam
ily Herald
Even Up.