50 Lea, The Guests of Ants, Bees, and Termites. ['''^juiy'^' 



THE GUESTS OF ANTS, BEES, AND TERMITES. 



By Arthur M. Lea, F.E.S., &c., Government Entomologist, 



Tasmania. 



(Communicated by Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S.) 



{Read before the Field Naturalists' Cluh of Victoria^ 13th Jiine^ 1910.) 



There are many remarkable species of insects to be obtained in 

 the nests of ants, bees, and termites ; some in large numbers, but 

 others sparsely. The insects most commonly seen are beetles, 

 but representatives of almost all orders are to be obtained in 

 them. 



Of the insects to be found in the nests, many are friendly, and 

 are even encouraged by the ants, whilst others are hostile to them. 

 As a rule the hostile species are remarkably sculptured, many 

 having grooves into which their legs and antennae can be with- 

 drawn on the slightest alarm, so that to any inquiring ant the 

 intruder appears as a small, angular lump of no importance. 

 Some hostile species, however, depend on their extreme activity 

 to save them from danger. 



I do not remember ever seeing an ant attack one of its guests, 

 either friendly or hostile. Whatever the cause of such abstention 

 may be, it is not that the violent interruption to their ordinary 

 work caused by the turning over of their shelter temporarily 

 paralyzes them, because such shelter frequently covers two or 

 more species of ants, and as soon as the different species begin 

 to mix a series of infuriated combats takes place. 



There are several ways of obtaining insects from the nests : — 

 Digging the nest out and sending its entire contents through 

 sieves — a plan seldom followed, in Australia at least. Digging it 

 out and examining its contents over white paper. Flooding it so 

 that all its inhabitants come to the surface. Examining it care- 

 fully after turning over its covering — stone, log, or bark. With 

 many nests this is the only practical plan, and in country often 

 collected over it is well to mark nests that have been productive 

 of guests and to visit them occasionally. A nest examined very 

 carefully and its covering replaced, will often yield specimens 

 later on in the same day. With the ferocious '' bull-dog," ^' soldier," 

 and "jumper" ants one cannot spend very much time at an 

 individual nest ; still, when the ground is fairly clear, several 

 minutes at a time can be devoted to the nest of even the 

 jumper. 



With non-stinging ants it is generally best to kneel over the 

 nest, or to recline at its side. At first nothing is visible but a 

 scurrying mass of ants, but a trained eye soon begins to pick out 

 the guests. These often strongly resemble the ants themselves, 

 but may be detected by their different ways of walking or 

 running. Often, however, beetles will be seen at the sides of the 

 nest, and Staphyliiddce are frequently to be obtained amongst 



