;J50 



A notable case (Wheeler, 1906) is the supplanting of Phei- 

 (lolc in('f/ar('j>]iaJa. by the Argentine ant {Iridomyrmex hu- 

 III His), in Aliideira. This displaced species which has proved 

 itself so dominant in other warm conntries of the world, evi- 

 dently iiKt a superior foe in the pugnacious South American 

 ant. This superiority ajipears to be evidenced by the way that 

 the Ai-gentine ant is displacing all other ants in our Southern 

 States. Dr. Wheeler (1910), further, gives interesting ac- 

 counts of the dominance of P. megacephala in tropical coun- 

 tries, citing particularly, Bermuda and the Virgin Islands. He 

 then predicted that this species would rapidly exterminate the 

 ant-fauna of tropical or subtropical regions, wherever it was 

 able to gain a foothold, and propagate abundantly. This pre- 

 diction is certainly proving true in the case of Hawaii, at least 

 as far as out-of-door nesting species are concerned. 



One has but to observe in some particular region of our 

 Islands, for a few years, to note the supplanting of other ants 

 by P. megacephala. At my home, in Palolo Valley, this latter 

 species is now the dominant ant, out-of-doors. As recently as 

 1913, the black ant { Prenolepis lotujicornis) was there in 

 myriads, aud the yard contained several nests of the fire ant 

 (Sole)ioj)sis (/('iiiiim/a viiv. nifa); l)oth these species have now 

 entirely (lisa])peared. 'I'he fii-st was particularly troublesoihe 

 froui tile fact that whole colonies frequently moved into the 

 house, locating the brood about the water ])ipes, or inside the 

 tank of the toilet. They gave further ti-oublc by beiuii' ouuiiv- 

 <M-ous feeders; so we wei-e glad to see them replaced, even 

 though it might be a case of "out of the frying pan into the 

 fire". The iner/areplialn. however, have at least k(^pt tlu^ir 

 family affairs out-of-doors. 



Dr. Perkins (191:1) has described in a most convincing 

 uianner the effects of this dominant introduced ant upon our 

 endemic insect-fauna. For he considered that it luid practi- 

 <'ally exterminated the uative insects, particularly the beetles, 

 within its range. But, as lie remarked, foreign or imported 

 insects often flourish in spite of it. 



Di'. Wheeler lias recently written me of his observations 

 nil /'. iiu'f/ticcpJiiiJii in (Queensland, Australia, where, lie says. 



