72 ANTS AND CHILDREN OF THE GARDEN 



KENNETH. Do the nurses ever help the young ant out 

 of the cocoon? 



ANT. Yes, and help unfold its legs and feelers, and 

 wings, too, if it have any. The young ant helps, also. 



KENNETH. I guess I understand. The baby has no 

 legs or feelers, and spins a cocoon when it is ready to 

 become a pupa. In the cocoon the pupa eats nothing, but 

 grows legs and feelers, and then out comes an ant. 



DOROTHY. You told us about the age of the Argentine 

 ant. How about other ants? 



ANT. A worker has been known to live five years, and 

 one queen was known to live fifteen. 



DOROTHY. Then some queens may be older than I am. 



ANT. Yes, but you will find that they are not very 

 good looking. The hard work of mining her first nest all 

 alone sometimes wears off her shiny coat, scratches her 

 body, and makes the queen a sorry sight the rest of her 

 life even toothless, and with jaws badly worn. 



DOROTHY. How does she put in the time? What 

 does she work at? 



ANT. As a rule she works none. She just lays eggs. 

 Servants guard her, feed her, and take care of her. 



Kind of Ants. The Argentine Ant. 



CECIL. Tell us more about that troublesome Argentine 

 ant. 



ANT. That kind of ant covers about 4,000 acres near 

 San Francisco, and about 1,000 acres around Los Angeles. 

 Other ants don't like that one any better than man does. 

 It captures all other kinds or drives them away. So, the 

 time may come when the Argentine will be the only kind 

 in California. 



