THE AEGENTINE ANT : DISTEIBUTION AND CONTROL. 9 



The workers are able to carry considerable liquid food in their 

 abdomens, which become distended and transparent. This food is 

 regurgitated when the nest is reached, and fed to the immature forms 

 and other workers and queens in the nest. They are quite long lived 

 and have been kept in artificial formicaries for many months at a 

 time. It is quite possible that they may live a year under natural 

 conditions. 



The male is always winged. It is readily distinguished by its mas- 

 sive thorax, small head, and abdomen. It is about 3 mm. in length, 

 and the body color is of a dark brown, the same shade as the worker. 

 Males appear in the nest in the spring months of the year and 

 gradually lessen in numbers as the summer advances. 



When the queen first emerges she is winged, but at the time of 

 copulation, or about that time, she loses her wings, and her activities 

 from that time are devoted to egg producing. The dealated queen 

 is about 6 mm. long and of the same color as males and workers. It 

 is seldom that the queens leave the nest unless disturbed, but occa- 

 sionally they may be seen crawling along an ant trail in company 

 with the workers. At rare intervals they travel alone and may be 

 observed wandering about aimlessly. 



The queens have frequently been kept within artificial formicaries 

 for more than a year, and it is reasonable to suppose that they will 

 live much longer. 



NATURAL CONTROL. 



It would appear that heavy rains and resulting flood are the only 

 factors of natural control of any great importance. They are espe- 

 cially effective if occurring during cold weather, for at this time the 

 ants are sluggish and unable to exert themselves. Moderately cold 

 weather does not appear to check their activities. 



On November 18, 1911, a heavy infestation of this ant was discov- 

 ered at Kosciusko, Miss., about half the town being infested. Resi- 

 dents stated that they had been troubled for about 7 years; several 

 of them, owing to the great annoyance, had moved to parts of the 

 town which were not then infested. On revisiting Kosciusko in 

 April, 1912, the infestation had decreased to such an extent that it 

 was quite difficult to find any of the ants. The meteorological 

 records of the winter months revealed the following striking facts: 

 The mean average temperature of the 6 months from November to 

 April, inclusive, was 49.5°, but the rainfall for this period was exces- 

 sive, reaching the total of 41.1 inches, whereas the average 10 years' 

 precipitation for these months had been only 27 inches. This con- 

 trol was, however, only temporary. In June, 1915, Kosciusko was 

 again visited and the ants were found to be very numerous and 

 causing great annoyance to residents. The infestation had spread 

 41860°— Bull. 377—16 2 



