ANT COMMUNITIES 



Commonly, however, they are successful, when not way- 

 laid and robbed by stronger individuals, or by roving 

 bands of alien species, or congeners of other communes. 



The fondness of ants for animal fats and juices may 

 be tested by placing a fresh bone on the lawn or in a 

 field. It will be covered soon with a crowd of emmets 

 greedily lapping the oily particles upon the surface and 

 exuding from the pores. Some housekeepers avail 

 themselves of this appetite to collect groups of the little 

 red ants (Monomorium pharaonis) that infest houses. 

 These being destroyed, the "trap" is set again and again. 



Another source of food supply is the various fruits in 

 season, wild and cultivated. The windfalls lying be- 

 neath the trees and bushes are usually bruised, or stung 

 by insects. Around and into these broken parts the 

 ants gather and feast. They climb to the laden boughs. 

 They scout among the ripening fruits. They have a 

 quick touch for a spot of decay, which has opened a way 

 for their gustatory attack. Or a bird's bill has been 

 before them, cutting a little trough from which to sip 

 the sweets they love, and herein one will see a bunch of 

 ants scooping out the pulps and drinking their fill of 

 the fermenting sap. 



When September's sun has mellowed the grapes, you 

 may see legions of ants, joint pilferers with birds and 

 bees, hornets, wasps, yellow- jackets, and flies, many 

 with heads buried deep within the berries. They are 

 lovers of the new wine of the grape, and many empty or 

 partly emptied skins, hanging among the broken 

 clusters like cups drained of their contents, show how 

 often and deeply they and their winged comrades have 

 drunk. Doubtless ants are apt to be a bit injurious to 

 our orchards and vineyards. But their share in the 



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