THE ARGENTINE ANT: DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL. 5 
which are tributary to these centers. A point where such a distribu- 
tion has occurred is Summerville, a little town 24 miles north of 
Charleston, S. C., which has become infested, presumably, from the 
latter place. 
In a complete colony in the spring of the year three distinct forms 
of adults are to be found—queens, males (drones), and workers, the 
workers greatly outnumbering both the queens and the males. The 
workers, foragers of the colony, are imperfect females with no re- 
productive functions. The queens, which are the reproducing fe- 
males, remain within the nest nearly all the time, and are fed and 
tended by the workers. The males have apparently but one fune- 
tion—that of fertilizing the queens. It will be readily understood 
that, as in the social economy of ant communities of other species, 
it is absolutely necessary that a fertilized queen be taken along with 
a number of workers before a new colony can be started. It is quite 
possible that almost every town and city in the Southern States has 
had a number of workers introduced at one time or another, but 
owing to the absence of a queen a noticeable infestation has not 
become established. Workers alone carried in this manner would die 
out. Such may be the case at Nashville, Tenn., where only a few 
workers have been found. Later observations will be necessary to 
decide this question. 
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE. 
As a pest in cities the Argentine ant has no equal. Owing to its 
small size and unobtrusive color, it is able to invade practically every 
part of ordinary dwellings, stores, etc. It is almost omnivorous, 
eating most cooked foods and a considerable percentage of the raw 
foods that are to be found in the average pantry. It exhibits a 
marked preference for some foods, such as sugar, sirup, honey, jams, 
cakes, candies, pies, fruit, and meats of all kinds. The temperature 
of refrigerators or ice boxes seems to have no deterrent effect, and 
ants will readily invade them. 
_ It is a common occurrence for Argentine ants to invade bed- 
chambers, and while they do not possess a sting, they can cause 
considerable pain with their mandibles. There have been many — 
reports of babies being attacked by them in such numbers as to 
cause serious results, and several of these reports have been verified. © 
In August, 1915, the writer located such a case in Augusta, Ga. 
A reputable citizen of that city, residing in a heavy infestation of 
the Argentine ants, gave the following account of such an attack on 
his 4-weeks-old baby: 
We were awakened in the night by a weak cry from the baby, and when 
the light was turned on the baby’s face was black with ants. They were in the 
baby’s nose, ears, and mouth. We hurriedly carried the baby to the bathtub 
