402 INTRODUCTION TO ZOOLOGY CHAP. 



require less expenditure of energy; also they can readily 

 migrate from one place to another if necessary. Their 

 diet is less restricted ; they will eat animal and vegetable 

 matter of many kinds, and so their food is far more readily 

 obtained than the bees' restricted diet of pollen and nectar. 

 They have, therefore, more time and energy to spare for 

 other things, and we find amongst them apparently greater 

 plasticity. They have developed much more varied instincts 

 than bees, and have adapted themselves to a more varied 

 existence. In the hunting raids, the herding and harvesting 

 activities, and the crop-growing habits of different ants, we 

 see indications of a higher type of development, bringing 

 these minute members of the animal kingdom nearest to 

 human beings in the organisation of their social life, and in 

 the division of labour amongst the workers of the community. 



Type : The Yellow Meadow Ant (Lasius flams). 



In order to get some idea of the general course of ant 

 life, it may be well first to study in detail the life of such 

 a simple community as that of the Yellow Meadow Ant 

 (Lasius flavus), which is common in light, rather moist soil, 

 and forms inconspicuous nests a short distance below the 

 surface. Often the only visible signs of these on the surface 

 are a certain amount of loose earth sometimes forming a 

 small mound which has been cast out by the ants as they 

 burrowed, and the many ants to be seen running about, 

 or disappearing down one of the openings. If the nest 

 is traced down from one of these entrances, it is found 

 to consist of a network of little tunnels, the "galleries," 

 with larger cavities, the " chambers " of the nest, excavated 

 at intervals at different levels. In excavating, the ant uses 

 its jaws in scraping away and carrying out the earth, and 

 also in pressing the walls of the galleries to make them firm. 

 The front legs also help in scratching out the soil. 



If in the summer the ant-hill is turned over 

 S en ^y? ^ w ^ De found to be swarming with little, 

 yellow, wingless " worker " ants, and to contain 

 also many tiny white eggs, larvae, and pupae, each lying 

 in separate chambers (Fig. 308) ; these will be at once seized 

 upon by the disturbed workers, and carried away to a place 



