422 



Handbook of Nature-Study 



and often one would seize an aphid in her jaws and dash about madly, 

 as if to rescue it at all hazards. When the ant wishes honey-dew, she 

 approaches the aphid, stroking it or patting it gently with her antennae, 

 and if a drop of the sweet fluid is not at once forthcoming, it is probably 

 because other ants have previously exhausted its individual supply; if 

 the ant gets no response, she hurries on to some other aphid not yet 

 milked dry. 



This devotion of ants to aphids has been known for a hundred years, 

 but only recently has it been discovered to be of economic importance. 

 Professor Forbes, in studying the corn root-louse, discovered that the ants 

 care for the eggs of this aphid in their own nests during the winter, and 

 take the young aphids out early in the spring, placing them on the roots of 

 smartweed; later, after the corn is planted, the ants move their charges 

 to the roots of the corn. Ants have been seen to give battle to the ene- 

 mies of the aphid. The aphids of one species living on dogwood are pro- 

 tected while feeding by stables, which a certain species of ant builds around 

 them, from a mortar made of earth and vegetable matter. 



References Ants, W. M Wheeler, Ant Communities, McCook 



LESSON XCV 



FIELD OBSERVATIO s ON ANTS 



Leading thought However aimless to us may seem the course of the 

 ant as we see her running about, undoubtedly if we understood her well 

 enough, we should find that there is rational ant-sense in her perform- 

 ances. Therefore, whenever we are walking and have time, let us make 

 careful observations as to the actions of the ants which we may see. 



Method The following questions should be written on the blackboard 

 and copied by the pupils in their note-books. This should be done in 

 May or June, and the answers to the questions worked out by observations 

 mace during the summer vacation. 



Observations i. Where do you find ants' nests? Describe all the 

 different kinds you have found. In what sort of soil do they make their 

 nests? Describe the entrance to the nest. If the nest is a mound, is 

 there more than one entrance? Are there many mounds near each other? 

 If so, do you think they all belong to the same colony? 



2. When the nest is disturbed, how do the ants act? Do they usually 

 try to save themselves alone? Do they seek to save their young at the 

 risk of their own lives? If an ant, carrying a young one is hard pressed, 

 will she drop it? 



3. Make notes on the difference in appearance of eggs, larvae and 

 pupae in any ants' nest. 



4. In nest<; under stones, can you find iarvas and pupas assorted 

 according to sizes? 



5. How many sizes of ants do you find living in the same nest ? 



6. What objects do you find ants carrying to their nests? Are these 

 for food ? How does an ant manage to carry an object larger than herself ? 

 Do you ever see two ants working together carrying the same load 3 



7. If you find a procession of ants carrying food to their nest, note if 

 they follow the same path coming and going. 



