38 



The South Australian Naturalist. 



Soldier. 



Wof ker. 

 HARVESTER ANT. 



THE HARVESTER ANT (Pheidole, sp.). 

 By R. J. Burton. 



The Harvester Ant is a common little ant about an eighth 

 of an inch in length, and of a brownish colour. Colonies may 

 be seen at work in and around Adelaide. Solomon might well 

 have referred to it when he said, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard. 

 Consider her ways and be wise," 



Let us then follow the sage 's 

 advice, choosing this particu- 

 lar ant on account of its excel- 

 dent habit of collecting seeds 

 and drying its harvest under 

 the rays of the sun, before 

 storing it away in its subter- 

 ranean granaries for con- 

 sumption during the winter. 

 The seeds of a low-growing 

 grass, having ears similar to 

 those of the Canary grass, is 

 the one preferred, though 

 most cereals prove welcome to 

 them, and I have seen a small worker pulling through the 

 grass portion of an ear of oats many times larger than itself. 



The ants, in going to and fro between their nest and the 

 selected crop, beat out well-defined pathways, which are 

 crowded with workers, some bringing home the grain and others 

 going out for more. Having no means of reaping the corn, they 

 have to wait until it ripens and falls to the ground, whence it is 

 carried to a clear space near the hole. There it is spread out to 

 dry, after which it is taken below to the granaries dug out from 

 the sides of their winding galleries. 



This ant does not confine itself solely to cereals, but varies 

 its diet when occasion offers; for instance, when it can obtain 

 tasty morsels, such as beetles or caterjullars. These, if too 

 large, are dismembered before being taken into the nest, there 

 to be eaten at leisure. 



Although this ant seems to display so much wisdom in 

 storing its provender for Avinter, it seems strange that it should 

 at times not have the sense to travel the shortest way with its 

 burden. When not on the beaten path, it straggles aimlessly 

 hither and thither, without the slightest regard to the saving of 

 either time or enegv. Again, though there are exceptions, when 



