February, '16] MCCOLLOCH AND HAYES: SOLENOPSIS MOLESTA 25- 



Say (1)' describes the species from specimens collected around Phila- 

 delphia. Fitch (2) records it in damaging numbers in New York as 

 early as 1850. Mayr (7) described Solenopsis dehilis from specimena 

 taken in the District of Columbia, New Jersey, Virginia, Texas, and 

 New York. Forbes (5, 13) reports it several times from Illinois. 

 Wheeler (15) records it from the eastern and northern states, Texas, 

 and as far south as Cuernavaca, Mexico. He also mentions finding a 

 large nest on Naushon Island, Mass. Pierce (21), et al, found it in 

 Oklahoma. Tanquary (23) records taking sex forms in flight at Bos- 

 ton, Mass. Gaige (25) found a single worker on a rock outcrop on 

 Charity Island, Lake Huron. 



This species appears to be well distributed over the eastern half 

 of Kansas, specimens having been taken in twenty-two counties in the 

 eastern part of the state. 



History and Economic Importance 



While there are many references to Solenopsis rnolesta preying on 

 other insects and acting as a scavenger, it is primarily an injurious 

 insect. 



In describing this species. Say (1) states that this is the "little yel- 

 low ant" commonly found in houses and that it sometimes eats vege- 

 table food and garden seeds. 



According to Fitch (2), it is one of the worst ants infesting houses 

 and fields in New York. It is very fond of saccharine substances and 

 is commonly found feeding on sweetened foods, in the house. It is 

 also found frequently in pastures and plowed fields and in 1850 it 

 threatened the corn crop by gnawing the tender leaves. 



Forbes (5, 6), in 18^84, records Solenopsis fugax present in sorghum 

 and broom corn fields, injuring the fruit of strawberries, and gnawing 

 out seed corn. In 1894 (13), he reports Solenopsis dehilis feeding on 

 seed corn in the ground and kernels in the ear. He also observed this 

 species attending the corn root aphis. 



Webster (10, 11) in several papers describes this species as injuring 

 strawberries, blackberries, seed corn, cured hams and ripe apples. 



There are a number of references to this ant as a predaceous enemy 

 of injurious insects. Brooks found Solenopsis dehilis attacking the 

 grape curculio {Craponius inccqualis) (16) and the walnut curculio 

 (Conotrachelus juglandis) (18). Headlee and McCoUoch (22) often 

 observed Solenopsis molesta carrying chinch bug eggs. Brooks and 

 Blakeslee (26) found this species attacking codling moth larvae. 



In Kansas, the chief injury consists of destroying the seeds of kafir, 

 cane, milo, and feterita shortly after they are planted. In a few cases 



1 Reference is made by number to "Literature Cited." 



