CHAPTER II 

 SOME INSECT COMMUNITIES 



I KNOW of few more wonderful or interesting 

 sights, that are likely to attract and rivet 

 the attention as one wanders through a pine 

 wood on a summer afternoon, when the air 

 is filled with the resinous fragrance of the pines, 

 than that which a great nest of the common 

 Wood or Horse Ant (Formica ntfd) presents, 

 with the warm sunlight brilliantly illuminating 

 its countless inhabitants, as they hurry hither 

 and thither about their various tasks. At first 

 all seems to be a hopeless medley, a futile, 

 unorganized running to and fro ; but a little 

 close and quiet observation, taking care not to 

 touch or approach too near the nest, so that the 

 little creatures are not disturbed or alarmed by 

 our presence, will soon show that there is really 

 no lack of organization. Some Ants may be seen 

 returning from the wood, carrying additional 

 supplies of pine-needles, bits of stick, and the 

 like, to be used as building materials in repair- 

 ing and enlarging the nest. Others are busy 

 running over the surface of the nest, shifting 

 the twigs and pine-needles, already closing the 

 apertures they had made earlier in the day, so 



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