40 OUR INSECT FRIENDS AND FOES 



young daisy leaves, where they are visited and 

 milked daily throughout the spring and summer 

 by their Ant owners. Nor are the Aphides the 

 only insects that are kept, or permitted to live 

 habitually, in the Ants' nests ; various species of 

 small Beetles, a species of insect allied to Podura, 

 and a small white crustacean allied to the wood- 

 louse all frequent the nests of certain species 

 of Ants. Some are parasitic on the Ants them- 

 selves, others possess secretions which serve as 

 food for the Ants, as is the case with the curious 

 blind beetle called, from its club-shaped antennae, 

 Claviger. This beetle is not only blind, but 

 appears to have totally lost the power of feeding 

 itself, and is quite dependent upon the kind 

 offices of the Ants, who habitully supply it with 

 nourishment in the same way as they do each 

 other. It is a very curious sight to watch the 

 Ants caressing the blind Clavigers with their 

 antennae, taking the tufts of hair that are at 

 the base of the beetle's wing-cases into their 

 mouths, and licking them, and also the whole of 

 the upper surface of the beetle's body, with 

 evident signs of joy and satisfaction. 



That the Ants do not confine themselves 

 solely to a diet of honey-dew drawn from their 

 cow-Aphides we shall quickly realize as we watch 

 our friends the Wood Ants (Formica rufd). 

 Should a foraging party come upon a nice fat 

 smooth-skinned Caterpillar, they will rush down 

 upon the unfortunate creature, attack it from 

 all sides, fix their powerful jaws deep in its 

 flesh, and hang on to it with grim bulldog-like 

 determination. The poor Caterpillar vainly tries 



