—— a oe 
The Argentine Ant as a Household Pest. 9 
queen and the larve, eventually exterminating the entire colony. A 
special poisoned sirup‘ has been devised. It is prepared as follows: 
Cranulaved sugary wees). Mere toe pounds.— 9 
oy a a Ta os yo 7 7) Se: ee es pints__ 9 
Pairuair Gracia (CRY Stal Lied, eee 8. ee oramsf = 2G 
Benzoate of soda_________- eee eee es ee OA MSes yy Oe 4: 
Boil slowly for 30 minutes. Allow to cool. ; 
Dissolve sodium arsenite (Cl Po) a2 ee Bee 2 OTAMS 229) Ley 
nous walters Se eae eee Se PS 2 se Sree {pint 4 
Cool. Add poison solution to sirup and stir well. Add to the 
poisoned sirup: 
le Qik See ee eee eee pee oe 8 NOUN SS 14 
Mix thoroughly. 
APPLICATION OF THE SIRUP. 
On account of the ants continuing to feed on a weakly poisoned 
sirup, it is desirable to place it in cans or paraffined paper bags 
outside of the infested house. The ants will be attracted away from 
the house by the sirup on the outside, not temporarily driven away 
through fear as they are by a strongly poisoned sirup within the 
house. Within a day or so after the 
sirup is put out no ants should be found 
in the house. 
It may happen from time to time that 
some of the cans will be found deserted. 
This is often because the ants are at- 
tracted by other food, especially the 
honeydew given off by aphids and mealy- 
bugs. During the middle of the sum- 
mer it is very hard to attract them away 
from this honeydew, which is their nat- 
ural food, and for this reason it is de- 
sirable to poison them during the cooler 
months of the year, especially during 
early spring, when there are fewer in- 
sects to supply them with a food sub- 
stance which is more attractive than the Fic, 2.—Paraffined paper bags ar- 
purest sirup. Houses, however, may be Pe peri tpe  oee ae 
freed from ants during midsummer by. been cut away to show en- 
the use of the sirup made according to  "2nce oles. Such bags are 
the formula given above. 
The paraffin-covered paper bag shown in figure 2 is undoubtedly 
the cheapest container. It can be made in large quantities at a cost 
of about $5 per thousand. Small 1-pound bags used in grocery stores 
are obtained, and two or three holes about one-fourth inch in diame- 
<& 
Ny 
XS 
\ 
WNWH 
\ 
AN 
NY 
+ Accuracy in the use of the specified ingredients and weights is necessary if successful 
results are to be secured. 
