190 OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CLASS — INSECTA 



implies, do all the work of the colony, — obtain food, build 

 the nest, care for the young and the queen, and fight the 

 battles. The queen lays the eggs, but is in no sense the 

 ruler. 



There are certain kinds of ants that make slaves of other 

 ants. The workers sally forth in a body to war on other 



Fig. 134. — Mexican cotton boll weevil: much enlarged, above; natural 



size, below. 



ants, and, if successful, they bring back larvfe and pupai 

 and rear them as slaves in their own colony. One species 

 of slave-maker ants has become so dependent on its slaves 

 that the individuals cannot care for themselves and, if 

 left alone, would die. 



On the other hand, some species of ants care very ten- 

 derly for certain kinds of insects known as plant lice. The 

 plant lice give forth a sweet substance, honey dew, of which 

 the ants are fond. The ants of one species actually build 

 coverings over the lice to protect them, while those of 



