18 



Leaving the beetles we now come to the family of insects called 

 (3) Formic id 'ae, or Ants. 



Ants occur abundantly in tropical countries Almost without excep- 

 tion they ai e social in their habits livirg in companies. The study of 

 the internal ec< nomy of their societies has always been a popular one, 

 and the facts brought to light might almost cause one to a c sign to 

 them seme measure of reasoning power. 



The association of ants with aphidae or plant lice, is well known, and 

 it has been a matter of long observation that ants use the aphidae as 

 milch cows. A species of ant in a temperate climate is known to take 

 the eggs of the aphis into their i estsin winter, ard when spring comes, 

 put them out on trees for future use as faim stcck. 



The reason of this attraction to plant lice, is that the latter secrete a 

 saccharine sue stance that exudes from two tubercles situated on the 

 hinder part of their bodies, and is dropped on the leaves of the plant, 

 and of this the ants are veiy fond. Sometimes they are also attracted 

 to exudations of plant juices caused by the puncture made by the pro- 

 boscis of the aphis. 



Ants are probably attracted to scale insects for the same reason, for 

 the latter also secrete a similar sweet substance, called in both instances 

 honeydew. This is probably why, in many cases where ants occur on 

 plants, that scale insects are to be found associated with them. For 

 this reason ants son etimes get blamed for injury done to plants, that 

 has really been caused by other insects. However, ants are not to be 

 counted as friends to the orange grower, for apart from other disadvan- 

 tages from their presence, it is very probable that they may play some 

 part in the distribution of scale insects, by carrying the eggs and young 

 that i: av adhere to their feet, from tree to tree ; but this has not yet 

 been satisfactorily proved by entomologists. 



Two instances will now be given wheie ants become a pest to citrus 

 growers in this countiy. 



(1.) By mailing nests on the trees. 



Black ant6 nests' are very often to be seen en orange trees, and are 

 generally located cn one of the higher branches. The limb on which 

 the nest'is, is often read, or appears unhealthy AVhen these nests 

 occur on trees, the ants aie to be seen ciawling all over the tree, and 

 become a great source of trouble and annoyance to pickeis and pruners. 



Berne dies. 



These nests should be removed by rubbing them off and smearing the 

 place with a little (rude carb' lie acid, when it will be found that the 

 ants will not return to the sp t. Should they attempt to build a nest 

 on another branch, it should be rubbed off in the tame way, and the 

 carbolic applied 



(2) Black sting ng ants a different species to the above, are often 

 found to be very troublesome to a nurseiy of young tudded trees, by 

 making res<s of earth round the roots, stmetimes piling the earth to 

 some little distance up the stems. 



]n Cf ses where trees aie thus infested, they generally present a more 

 or less dwarfed aj peaiance, and do not look as healthy or vigorous as 

 those not ?o attacked. 



Associated with th< se ants may often be observed the white " mealy 

 bug,"' a species of scale insect. The cause of the presence of scale 



