ANTS. 



19 



ANTS. 



uUy be seen running on some of tlie hives. As 

 long as only two or three can be seen on any one 

 hive, no special attention need be given them; but 

 if a dozen or more are seen it means that they have 

 probably selected that hive for their own use, and it 

 needs close watching. They will continue their 

 legiilar attentions to that one hive, gradually in- 

 creasing in numbers until they decide they are 

 str(jng enough, when nearly the entire colony of 

 ants will boldly attack the bees by biting off wings 

 and legs, and crippling them so they are of no more 

 u>e. Bees fight back courageously, the battle con- 

 tinuing for hours, and sometimes a day or two, 

 according to the relative strength of the two bellig- 

 erents. The inside of the hive and the ground near 

 by will be strewn with dead ants and dead and crip- 

 pled bess; but it always ends with the destruction 

 •jf all the bees, and the moving in and occupation of 

 the hive by the ant colony. When ants luive once 

 clioseu a certain colony of bees to work on, the bee- 

 master has (jot to destroy the ants, root and branch, 

 or they will in time destroy the bees. If a part only 

 of the ants are destroyed they will simply bide their 

 time until they have built up strong enough, and 

 then do the work. I know of few or no living crea- 

 tines more presistent in evil works than are these 

 bee killing ants. They also, in certain localities, do 

 great damage to queen-rearing nuclei. 



During the fall months I make it a practice almost 

 every evening after dark in my home apiary, and as 

 often as possible in the out-apiaries, to see by the 

 light of a lantern the front of every hive; and any 

 one on which I see three or four or more ants run- 

 ning over has a marker placed on it. 1 f the number 

 of ants on any one of these marked hives increases 

 each night I give that hive especial attention until 

 the ants get numerous enough to hegin to worry 

 the bees. When tliis occurs, bees commence to 

 wliiTie, asl call it— that is, utter a fine sharp note 

 with their wings. As the ants get bolder the cry of 

 the bees becomes louder and more frequent— so 

 much so that I have frequently heard it fully fifty 

 feet away. The ants usually worry the bees contin- 

 ually for several nights, when suddenly the whole 

 colony of ants starts in on a battle royal, which con- 

 tinues for hours or even a day or two, until eveiy 

 bee is disabled or driven out. A great many of ihe 

 ants will also be killed; but how the bees do this is a 

 mystery to me. 



When the battle has once been joined, the bie- 

 keeper has a difficult task to save the bees; but this 

 can usually be prevented. When the ants become 

 plentiful enough at the hive to begin worrying the 

 bees, there is usually a trail of going and returijing 

 ants from their nest to the hive, and this can usually 

 be located and traced to their nest, which, when 

 found, should be left undisturbed until the follow- 

 ing day, wlien all the ants will be at ht)me. If the 

 nest can in>t be found the first time trying, I search 

 again and until it is found. As soon as the nest is 

 found, or search for it is given up for that night, I 

 sprinkle some insect powder on their trail near the 

 hive; also wherever on or around the hive I can do 

 so to worry the ants and not injure the bees. This 

 will usually keep the ants from doing any more 

 harm that night. 



The next day when all the ants are at home, I take 

 a kettle of boiling water, tear open the nest, and, if 

 possible, kill every ant and egg. If a few of them 

 are left they are likely to gather together, increase 

 in time to their former strength, and again attack 



that same colony of bees. Whenever the nest is 

 found in a box or pit ce of wood that can be easily 

 moved with all the ants, the easiest and best plan is 

 to carry them into the chicken-yard, break open the 

 nest, and the hens will gladly do the rest of the bus- 

 iness. They are very fond of both ants aud eggs; 

 iiud they not only find them good to eat, but give 

 their owner lots of fun watching the old rooster 

 especially, kick and scold every time an ant bites 

 one of his feet. I have had manj' a hearty laugh 

 watching this performance. 



These ants are a great pest here in Florida. They 

 destroy in the aggregate a great many colonies 

 every fall. I know of one apiary which was entire- 

 ly lost, largely, I judge, from what I hear, by these 

 ants. At the best they are a great nuisance because 

 they compel the bee-keeper to remain at home 

 watching them at a season of the year when nothing 

 is doing in the apiary, and the apiarist could, but 

 for them, be awaj' on a holiday, or have some out- 

 side business. O. O. Poppleton. 



Stuart, Fla , Dec. 9, 1905. 



Ants are a serious pest to l)ees in many 

 tropical countries, notably in South America, 

 w here they are omnipresent and almost om- 

 nipotent. A species similar to that described 

 by Mr. Poppleton in Florida exists all over 

 tropical America, and particularly in the 

 southern continent. He has so graphically 

 described it, there is no necessity to enlarjie 

 on it further. The worst- feature of these 

 ants is their readiness to travel, so that, 

 when one does destroy their nests, there is 



Morrison's ant-proof bee-hive shed. 



no assurance the apiary is safe from their at- 

 tacks. Another bad feature is their habit 

 of traveling by night ; in fact, nearly all 

 their depredations are made in the dark. 



To circumvent them, it is necessary to de- 

 stroy all their nests within a radius of KIO 

 yards of the apiary by the application of bi- 

 suljihide of carbon to their nests. But this 

 precaution alone will not suflice, and it will 

 be necessary to adopt further measures. 

 Luckily it is not difficult to do this, as tropi- 

 cal bee-keepers are obliged to keep their bee- 

 hives under a shed, for excellent reasons. 



In erecting a shed, therefore, we can take 

 measures to prevent effectually the ants 



