Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-11-26
UGLY DRIVER ANTS
All Living Creatures Fly Before
These African Terr0rS.
THEY BUILD LIVING BRIDGES.


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 and storing food to have any
vagaries OF this sort. They are con
tented and harmless If not disturbed
or annoyed An angry ant is to be
avoided and an angry swarm can
make its displeasure felt in very un
pleasant way, as every one knows who
has carelessly broken into nest But
If left alone they are peaceful little
workmen. absorbed in their own
affairs
The great driver OF Bashikoney ant
however has nothing peaceable In mis-
composition He is nothing if not az
gressfve and spitetul; neither is ne con
tented In he great forests OF Africa
these insects multiply to an alarming
extent. They swarm in thousands.
perhaps millions and formidable at
any time. during the season OF migra
ton they are terror to the whole
district in which they live
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 moment the napiess
an Incredibly short space OF time moth
ing is left but bare bones
The driver ant Is so called because
1t drives away all living creatures
When this most terrible host is on the
march men and animals. great and
may be seen rushing along side by
side with the timid gazeiie All are
too much frightened to dream of at
lacking or avoiding each other For
once in their lives they are united in
their terror of the common enemy
Size and strength are OF no avail and
a rlinoceros or an elephant is as much
terrified and is In as much danger as
a ra hhit
When the vast army of ants arrive
On the bank of river a halt Is call
I'd 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 to hustle
up to the front
The making of an ant bridge Is t3ne
II the most wonderful things in the
world The ants swarm on a tree
choosing one which oyerhangs the riv
er Upon the bough which reaches
farthest over the stream they mass
themselves and begin to form 2 thick
rope of their own bodies This they
do by means of holding on firmly with
their hind legs. while with the front
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 it
touches the water
BY and by the floating chain is car
side where probably grass and great
reeds spring out of the water The
foremost ants seize upon the first oh
iect they touch, and from one slender
foothold to another they climb until
NJ last they reach land The nearest
tree is quickly cim:a.d the foremost
pairs Of legs doing all he work and
very soon the living rope is swinging
nigh above the river The bridge is
nade. and quickly the army crosses the
stream
Du Chaillu. in his African travels
f.ad an opportunity Of observing one OF
ihese bridges and lie declares that 1t
Is made with hollow center. the
living bodies at the ants forming the
walls Of tunnel through which the
main body ot ants travei safely over
he water Wben the last ANT mas
crossed ana me bridge IS 40 'onger
needed. the airs IN the rear reease
heir hold ana tne rope or tunnel drops
into the river Fhe ants do not like
wafer but they are soon released from
This position fot the vanguard are dis
perSing as FIST as they eiln ana the
seit SACRIFICING ants WHO began the
ereat Cham are qmcklv upon dry and
II is all very strange and very won
ierfn WHY do they fravei At ans
~ what direction and o. what Jaws
10 they act. and now did they learn to
make bridges: 0ur natnralists nave
earned much of their WAYS and thpir
doings but these questions they cannnt
answer; they are part OF the mystery
Of if and nature of which the wisest
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