202 ANTS AND CHILDREN OF THE GARDEN 



CHAPTER XIII. 



January 27 to April 20. 



Carpenters, Harvesters, Other Insects. The Rainy Season. 



FLORENCE. At last, at last ! We've found the nest of 

 the big Carpenter ant. We've been hunting- for it for seven 

 months, and have been running over it every day. W T e 

 were told we would find it after the rains came, and that 

 Ave would be surprised. 



KENNETH. Yes, I've found seven colonies on this back 

 yard today. Doesn't that beat you? They carry dirt just 

 like ours do, only their earth pellets are larger. 



FLORENCE. No wonder we couldn't find the nest. The 

 only sign is a half-inch hole in the ground, except when 

 they are mining. 



CECIL. There are about fifty kinds of real Carpenters, 

 but some other ants live in wood and may be called Car- 

 penters some kinds of Acrobats, for instance. 



FLORENCE. But it seems strange that a Carpenter 

 will live in the ground. 



CECIL. Even men and bees will live in the ground if 

 it is the best place they can get. Several kinds of Carpen- 

 ters in dry countries extend their nests down tree trunks 

 into the ground to moist earth or to Avater. This one does, 

 and even builds altogether in the ground, around this 

 place. 



FLORENCE. But their big jaws were really made to 

 Avood with. 



