Tue HyMENopTERA OF MINNESOTA 201 
In spite of the early beliefs that the complex actions of ants must 
be accounted for on the ground that these insects possess intelligence, 
Fig. 88. Lasius sp. male. 
modern scientists have denied 
the possession of psychic facul- 
ties on the part of ants or other 
insects. Bethe has made a care- 
ful study of the ecology of this 
group as a result of which he 
states “they learn nothing, but 
act mechanically in everything 
they do, their complicated re- 
flexes being set off by simple 
physiological stimuli.” 
Some ants make sounds by 
tapping or scraping leaves with 
their heads (by inference, there- 
fore, ants can hear). 
The bite of some species, as 
many of us are aware, is pain- 
ful. They are extremely coura- 
geous, battling fiercely with hos- 
tile colonies. Their relative 
strength is out of all proportion 
to the size of the insects; we 
frequently see ants dragging dead caterpillars or grasshoppers many 
times their size and weight. 
z Fig. 89. 
Myrmica sp. female. 
