88 NATURE STUDY AND LIFE 



To rid a house of ants effectually it is only necessary to 

 find the nest^ — often easier said than done — and treat it 

 with boiling soapsuds, kerosene or benzine, carbon bisul- 

 phide or gunpowder, according to individual preference 

 and the location of the nest. 



It is a fine piece of investigation to set a boy at, this 

 finding of a troublesome ants' nest. It can always be 

 done, with sufficient patience and persistence, by follow- 

 ing the streams of workers going to and from it. The 

 little red ant generally nests in crevices about the sills or 

 timbers, sometimes between the flooring, and often holes 

 will have to be bored or baseboards or portions of the 

 floors be torn up to get at them. Naturally in such places 

 scalding suds or benzine will be used to deluge the nest. 

 The other two species commonly nest outside, in the 

 ground under stones or pavements, and may be thoroughly 

 dealt with by running a stick or crowbar into the nest and 

 pouring down any of the liquids mentioned. An interesting 

 way, which will appeal to boys, is to load the hole with about 

 an ounce of gunpowder, connect with a fuse, close well with 

 earth, and touch it off, and ants will disappear as by magic. 

 A pack of firecrackers may be used for the purpose. 



Among the many insects that invade the house the 

 above have been chosen as typical of different modes of 

 life and as most important. Any others may be studied in 

 similar ways, and they may also be dealt with by methods 

 like those above described. On any topic relating to 

 insects the most reliable information may now be obtained 

 from either the United States Department of Agriculture 

 or the Experiment Stations of the different states. To 

 obtain the bulletins issued in Washington apply for the 



