Mmichcster Memoirs, Vol. liii. (1909), No. !iO. 



XX. On the Tent-building Habits of the Ant Lasius 

 niger Linn, in Japan. 



By Marie C. Stopes, Ph.D., D.Sc, 



AND 



C. Gordon Hewitt 



iThe University, Manchester). 

 (Received and read May 4th, igog). 



During the recent visit of one of us (M. C. S.) to 

 Japan, the tent-building habits of the common brown or 

 black garden ant Lasius niger Linn., which forms tents 

 of a character and shape hitherto undescribed, were 

 observed. The tents were found on Ilex integra, which 

 was growing on a low hill near the sea at Hayama, a 

 small bathing village within fifty miles of Tokyo. 



L. niger is one of the commonest species of ants in 

 England. Prof W. M. Wheeler, who kindly confirmed the 

 identification of the specimens collected from these tents, 

 says that he is unable to distinguish these and other speci- 

 mens previously received from Japan from the common 

 European form. In England they usually construct 

 subterranean galleries and frequently cultivate Aphides 

 for the sake of the honey-like fluid, the so-called " Honey 

 dew " which appears to be formed in the alimentary canal, 

 and is used by the ants for food. It has been stated 

 that during the winter they take the eggs of the Aphides 

 into their nests as a protection against frost. 



In the colonies of the Japanese ants about to be des- 

 cribed, the form of the tents and the covered passages which 



Jtiiie gt/i, igog. 



