i 5 8 

 NOTES ON THE WOOD ANT (FORMICA RUFA). 



J. T. SEWELL, J. P., 



Whitby. 



Recently when examining some old natural history notes, I 

 found the follow' ng entries made in 1893-4, at which time my 

 business constantly took me through the Arncliff woods near 

 Glaisdale ; it was in these woods that the ant nest subsequently 

 referred to was observed. 



This nest, built on the level, was composed, as is usual, of 

 twigs, the needles of the fir and other vegetable matter ; it wae 

 frequently several feet across and raised from one to probably 

 three feet in the centre ; during one period (possibly owing to 

 the still weather), it was built on a narrower base, and higher, 

 the apex being divided into two small cones, with an entrance 

 low down in each cone, the contour somewhat resembling in 

 miniature the illustration of the nests of the African Termite. 



1893 April 25TH. — Have had a very fine and dry early 

 spring, with scarcely a day's rain since the beginning of March, 

 the drought getting serious ; to-day very hot, the ant nest 

 extraordinary — to which I was attracted by the noise — the 

 ant . were like a swarm of bees, and the noise like the patter 

 of rain on dry leaves ; the surrounding ground was seemingly 

 in motion, as the straws, twigs and leaves were being dragged 

 to the nest ; a wasp also was being taken to the larder. 



May 23RD. — Ants very lively, many having wings, walking 

 about ; thundery weather. 



June 19TH. — Nothing to report ; late spring has been very wet . 



July i8th. — Ant nest not so busy as previously ; it is much 

 flattened ; probably many ants have been drowned by the rain, 

 ferns previously seen growing through the nest have been killed ; 

 ants working into the roots of an adjacent tree ; they also appear 

 to have formed nests at the base of the lower branches of a fir, 

 on the trunk of which they are passing up and down ; several 

 small nests have been formed around the original one. 



August 15TH. — Ant nest much the same as at first, viz.; 

 one main nest, on which the aphis ' cows ' are seen being 

 milked by the ants ; weather very hot. 



September 12th. — The nest has a bad smell, fermentation 

 having probably taken place ; during the past month the 

 nest, which looks very wet, has been raised very considerably ; 

 only a few ants to be seen. 



October ioth. — Very few ants to be found and these only 

 under a decayed tree root. 



November jth. — No ants ; a rabbit, or badger (?) has 

 burrowed into the midst of the nest and scattered it ; a good 

 deal of snow. 



1894. — Tne ant nest is again in the same place. 



March 27TH. — Easter ; weather hot, 65 in the sun to-day ; 



Naturalist, 



