THE INTEREST IN INSECTS 



29 



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A GROUP OF APHIDS OR "MILCH COWS' 

 THE STEM OF A PLANT. 



Experimenting With the Intelligence 

 of Ants and Wasps. 



DY PAUL GRISWOLD HOWES, THE MAPLE- 

 WOOD MUSEUM, STAMFORD, CONN. 



Authors Note: Among the many students 

 and observers of insect life, we naturally 

 find many varied opinions upon the causes 

 of insect actions. Of course such questions 

 can be determined only after long study; 

 experiment and careful observing of the 

 home lives of these creatures. Never the 

 less, every little bit adds to the general 

 knowledge of the subject and it is hoped 

 that the cases sighted in this article, which 

 it must be remembered, are individual cases 

 that I have found in a great number of ex- 

 neriments, will be of aid to those already 

 interested in this fascinating study. 



Some believe that the behavior of insects 

 is exclusively instinctive, others that they 

 are governed or controlled by response to 

 light, heat, gravity, etc., while still others 

 hold that it is instinct tempered with and 

 modified by reason. On this side stands the 

 writer, together with many well known 

 scientists; therefore I have been bold enough 

 to use the word Intelligence, in the title of 

 my article. The illustrations are from life 

 by the author. 



Among the numerous volumes which 

 have been written upon insect life, we 

 seldom find one in which the ants are 

 not credited as being the most mar- 

 velous of all insects. The actions of 

 these creatures and the deeds which 

 they accomplish would furnish suffi- 

 cient material to fill many a work of 

 portly size, and indeed much has been 

 written upon the subject. 



Marvelous is the manner in which 

 they feed and care for their young and 

 wonderful the loyalty of the subjects 

 to their queen and their city, for all 

 ants live in communities. The storing 

 of proper food for the winter and the 

 capturing of Aphids or "Milch cattle," 

 from which the ants extract a sweet, 

 nourishing licpiid are other interesting 



