158 LIFE STORIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. 



scales. Quite a large tree was practically 

 swarming with these ants which were feeding 

 on the honey-dew secreted by a soft white scale. We 

 have found them on the flowers of the ''pigeon berry" 

 shrub (Monotoca scoparium), and on the spike or 

 the Grass Tree (Xanfhorrhoea), in the latter case 

 several seemed helpless owing to the abundance of 

 the nectar they had imbibed. /. rufoniger is a pest 

 in the summer time, finding out honey, jam, etc., 

 which may be left where these ants can reach. 

 We have found smearing kerosene around the pan- 

 try a sure remedy for these visitors. 



There is one species of Dolichoderid which has 

 some of the workers modified to form "honey-pots," 

 but it is not so distended as the CamponoHis inflatus 

 mentioned before. It is found only in Australia 

 and New^ Guinea ; its name is Leptomyrmex rufipes. 



D. Sub-Family Camponotides. — Petiole with one 

 node ; no sting;, but a poison sac is present in the 

 worker and female. The poison gland forms a flat 

 oval cushion at the anal end. Formic acid is 

 secreted, and the pad is used as an ejaculatory 

 organ. Cocoons usually formed, but sometimes the 

 pupae are quite naked. The Sugar Ant, Caniponotits 

 nigriccps is our best known example. It is a yel-f 

 low and black ant. 



In most of the Cami)onoti(ls there are two w'orker 

 castes, large soldier-workers, and smaller forage 

 and nest-workers. These ants are found binder 

 stones and logs, and are very good types to ob- 

 serve in the house, for they soon settle down to 

 their new conditions. We have found some of the 



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