178 HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



species founds a nest by herself. She selects a favorable 

 place beneath the bark of an old log, for example, and 

 there excavates a small cell. In this she may be found 

 brooding over a few eggs, larvae, 

 cocoons, and small workers. Pricer 

 has also determined that the 

 number of inhabitants of a fully 

 developed nest of the black car- 

 penter ant may contain from 1943 

 to 2500 workers. 



There are other species of ants 

 that occasionally become house- 

 hold pests. The tiny thief-ant 

 (Solenopsis molesta) is a native 

 ant that occasionally leaves its 

 natural haunts and builds its nest 

 in houses, where the occupants 

 become pests in kitchens and 



so.-The large black P antries ' The workers of this ant 

 carpenter ant, enlarged, are very small and yellow and 



nearly blind. 



Finally, there is the Argentine ant that stands in a class 

 by itself and is discussed later. 



GENERAL METHODS OF FIGHTING ANTS 



Perhaps the first thing to do as a method of prevention 

 is to remove the substance attracting them if this can be 

 done. It can often be placed on a support, the legs of 

 which rest in water covered with a film of oil. Some- 

 times the simple removal of the attractive food to another 

 room may be sufficient. 



