66 BULLETIN" 647, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



"which a poisoning experiment was being conducted. As the jars 

 used would be partly filled with water every time it rained, a shelter 

 was made for each of them out of two ends of an orange box nailed 

 together in the shape of a gable. Soon after these covers had been 

 laid, every one was found to harbor an ant colony which crowded it 

 to its fullest capacity. Protection from the rain alone not satisfying 

 the ants, they shut out the light and drafts by completely filling in 

 the space, between the jar and the top and ends of the cover with 

 particles of soil. Each nest was no doubt ideal from the ants' point 

 of view. Each was honeycombed with galleries of all shapes and 

 sizes, ramifying in every direction. Any desired degree of moisture 

 could probably be had in these galleries, those nearest the top being 

 driest, and those directly on the surface of the ground most humid. 

 The occupants would only need to move to underground quarters 

 should prolonged dry weather occur. Each of these " ant castles," 

 as they might be called, was perfectly protected from rain by a good 

 pine roof. On removing the roof and looking into the galleries, 

 thousands of eggs, young, and queens were revealed. Many solid 

 masses of young and eggs as large as a hen's egg could be collected 

 in these shelters. It was very evident that the ants could be much 

 more rapidly destroyed when gathered together in this manner than 

 by the tedious and unsatisfactory method of feeding them poison. 



Protection from rain and drafts, good drainage, and darkness be- 

 ing the principal nesting requisites of the ants, it appeared that these 

 requirements could best be met by a box with a roof. It was also 

 found that ants could be induced to mass more thoroughly in numer- 

 ous comparatively small colonies than in a few extremely large ones. 

 A small covered box-trap was, therefore, given a trial, 15 of them 

 being used in the first test. This was so satisfactory that it was fol- 

 lowed by a large-scale experiment in which over 400 traps were used. 



Description of Ant Teats and Fumigating Covers. 



The first traps (see PL V) were made of f-inch cypress; but sap 

 pine proved to be just as good and was cheaper. Each trap con- 

 sisted of the following 9 pieces : Two sides, 12 by 12 inches ; 2 sides, 

 10 by 12 inches; 1 bottom, 10 by 10 inches; 2 top pieces, 8 by 12 

 inches, and 2 pieces of triangular molding 12 inches long. First the 

 smaller sides and bottom are fastened together with rosined nails 

 or screws to prevent warping, then the larger sides added. The top 

 pieces are fastened together in the form of a gable, with a tight 

 joint, this roof being set loosely on top of the box. The pieces of 

 molding are nailed across the inner side of the roof where it touches 

 the top of the trap to hold it in place. 



Covers to keep the gas in while fumigating are made of 28-gauge 

 galvanized iron, each consisting of one piece 38 inches by 13£ inches, 





