178 



HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



species founds a nest by herself. She selects a favorable 

 place beneath the bark of an old log, for example, and 

 there excavates a small cell. In this she may be found 



brooding over a few eggs, larvse, 

 cocoons, and small workers. Pricer 

 has also determined that the 

 number of inhabitants of a fully 

 developed nest of the black car- 

 penter ant may contain from 1943 

 to 2500 workers. 



There are other species of ants 

 that occasionally become house- 

 hold pests. The tiny thief-ant 

 (Solenopsis molesta) is a native 

 ant that occasionally leaves its 

 natural haunts and builds its nest 

 in houses, where the occupants 

 become pests in kitchens and 

 pantries. The workers of this ant 

 are very small and yellow and 

 nearly blind. 

 Finally, there is the Argentine ant that stands in a class 

 by itself and is discussed later. 



Fig. 50. — The large black 

 carpenter ant, enlarged. 



GENERAL METHODS OF FIGHTING ANTS 



Perhaps the first thing to do as a method of prevention 

 is to remove the substance attracting them if this can be 

 done. It can often be placed on a support, the legs of 

 which rest in water covered with a film of oil. Some- 

 times the simple removal of the attractive food to another 

 room mav be sufficient. 



