ANTS 147 



she has been brought into the laboratory. Note the intervals 

 during which eggs are laid. Describe the action of the queen 

 and workers in regard to the eggs when the nest is disturbed. 

 How soon do ants become accustomed to the careful interfer- 

 ence of being observed ? Fill the sponges with water, one day 

 hot, another day cold. What effect upon the apparent care of 

 the eggs has a difference in moisture, temperature, and light ? 



Larva. The time taken for the eggs to hatch depends upon 

 the warmth and humidity of the atmosphere. The time of in- 

 cubation is about twenty days. The larvae are soft, footless 

 grubs, the smaller end being the head. The presence of hooked 

 hairs upon the bodies of the larvae explains how they are car- 

 ried in bundles. Note that the larvae are helpless. They are 

 not only fed by the queen and workers, but are carried about 

 to places of proper temperature and humidity. With the aid 

 of a lens observe how the workers and queen feed the larvae. 

 The queen has food stored in her body, which enables her to 

 live and feed her first brood without herself taking food. This 

 fact probably accounts for the small size of the first brood, 

 which is composed of workers, as compared with subsequent 

 broods. The queen is relieved of all work when the workers 

 appear. They feed her and the larvae and assume all work 

 of the colony. 



Note that the larvae are of different ages, and that they 

 spin cocoons as soon as they become full-grown. Are the lar- 

 vae and pupae kept together? Ants have no regular places 

 for their young ; even in the natural nest they are carried to 

 places which offer suitable conditions. The pupa stage like 

 the larval lasts about twenty days when the temperature is 

 about 80. Observe that the cocoon turns yellowish before 

 the young ant (callow) appears. How long before the callows 

 assume the duties of adult workers ? 



