26 



THE ARGENTINE ANT. 



called attention to the scarcity of the common "chiggers" or so-called 

 "red bugs" m parks and yards heavily infested by the ant, and tliis 

 latter observation has been verified by the junior author in the case 

 of Audubon Park, New Orleans. At Baton Rouge, however, the 

 senior author found the "chiggers" very abundant m premises heav- 

 ily infested by the ants. The manner in which these ants destroy 

 the sorghum midge is described on following pages. 



SYSTEMATIC POSITION. 



According to the classification adopted by Dr. W. M. Wheeler/ 

 the Argentine ant is placed in the subfamily Dolichoderina% which 



Fig. 5. — Covering constructed by the Argentine ant to protect the mcaly-lnigs. (Original.) 



is one of ihe five main subdivisions of the family Formicidiie. The 

 Dolichode rinse arc characterized by the cloacal orifice being slit- 

 shaped and venti-ally located instead of being circular and termi- 

 nally located, as in the camponotine ants, by vestigial sting, by 

 single-segm(>nted abdominal pedicel, by a much shortened or bell- 

 shaped gizzard (proventriculus), by the pupse being always naked 

 (not inclosed in cocoons), and usually by anal glands whicli produce 

 a secr(>ti()n having a very oflVnsiv(» odor. Tn iho case of the Argen- 

 tine ant, however, this odor is entirely lacking. 



1 "Ants, their structure, development, and behavior," 1910. 



