232 



LOCUSTS, HOPPERS, SURFACE BEETLES, ETC* 



Mr. E. E. Greeu in Ceylon that the workers actually eat sound healthy 

 plant tissue. Cauliflowers, cabbages, artichokes and other vegetables are 



attacked just below the soil and completely 

 destroyed. As these ants are usually carni- 

 vorous the habit is an exception. In the case 

 observed, the addition of a small quantity of 

 crude oil emulsion to the irrigation water drove 

 them away. 



A second injurious ant is the harvesting 

 ant,^ which gathers seeds especially of kangni 

 {Setaria italica) in the galleries of its nest. 

 This is a moderately large deep brown and 

 black ant, which makes extensive nests in the 

 soil ; in the Punjab these nests are shallow and 

 easily dug out ; other observers in India state 

 that the nests are very deej), and this depends 

 probably upon the nature of the soil. The 

 worker ants bring the seeds one by one to 

 the nest and store them in granaries. As much 

 as a pint of seed may be found in a single 

 large nest, and as the nests are in some cases 

 numerous, a considerable quantity of seed may 

 be destroyed. The nests are readily traced and 

 may be dug out ; the application of hot water destroys the insects, and 

 the mere filling of the nest with water will be sufficient to drive out the 

 occupants. 



Fig. 276. 



Brown Ant worJcers. 



{Magnified and natural size.) 



262. Soloomyrmex scabriceps, Mayr. (Formicidse.) 



