INSECT NOTES FROM MINNESOTA FOR I90G. l7 



found in the pantries and kitchen, getting on food just before it was 

 taken into the dining room. 



Chisters of cocoons were located in the walls of the furnace room 

 in the basement, this room being directly beneath the kitchen and 

 pantries. At first carbon bisulphid was used with good results, the 

 liquid being forced into crevices in the walls where the ^nts were 

 observed, but the gas penetrated to all parts of the house and was 

 particularly disagreeable to the members of the household. As far 

 as could be observed these " nests '" were never placed very deeply 

 within the wall, and consequently when we had to resort to kero- 

 sene we found this liquid to be just as eJffectiA'e as Avas the carbon 

 bisulphid. This was applied with a syringe. The ants that were 

 out of the " nests " at the time of applying the liquid would, upon 

 their return, seek another crevice, and would soon found a ncAV 

 colony : then these new colonies Avould be located and saturated Avith 

 kerosene. Finally, in January or February. lOOC), no ants were seen 

 about the house; they had completely disappeared, and we were con- 

 fident that t]\ey had all been destroyed. In the fall of 1J)0(), however, 

 they became very numerous again, and our attacks against them with 

 kerosene were renewed. Several nests were found in practically the 

 same places as in the previous year, but the most persistent colony 

 was found, seemingly, in the chimney. The nest itself, however, was 

 never seen. The extermination of the ants in this location was ex- 

 tremely difficult, but at the time of writing their numbers appear 

 much lessened, 



]\rany so-called " ant cures " were tried, such as " ant sugar,"' 

 pennyroyal, and tartaric acid solution made according to the formula 

 given on page 97 of Bulletin 30 of the Division of Entomology, 

 U. S. Department of Agriculture, viz, tartaric acid, 10 grams; 

 hugar, 100 grams; water, 1,000 grams. None of these remedies was 

 effective. 



We had planned during the winter, when the house was to be 

 unoccupied, to fumigate with hydrocyanic acid gas, but on or about 

 December 22 every ant had disappeared, and we are now aAvaiting 

 their reappearance before taking active measures against them. 



Tt was decided to make the discussion on this paper and the presi- 

 dent's address the first order of business for the afternoon session. 



On motion the following committees were appointed b}^ the 

 president : 



Nominations : Messrs. Maiiatt, Osborn, and Webster. 



Resolutions : Messrs. Fletcher, Slingerland, and Sanderson. 



Membership : Messrs. W. D. Hunter, Summers, and .J. B. Smith. 



7487— No. 67—07 2 



