THE ARGENTINE ANT IN RELATION TO CITRUS GROVES. \) 
FOODS OF THE ANT DERIVED FROM PLANT SOURCES. 
Method of the Ant in Obtaining Plant Nectar. 
The floral, and occasionally extra-floral, nectar of many kinds of 
plants forms the most dependable food of the ants from a direct 
plant source. The flowers of citrus and many other cultivated and 
wild plants are visited habitually for their nectar, which is lapped 
up from the area around the base of the stamens and petals, this 
area being evidently the location of the principal nectar-producing 
glands, at least in citrus. 
With the aid of a hand lens the tube-shaped tongue of the feeding 
ant may be seen moving rapidly and continuously, in conjunction 
with the labial palpi, over the surface of the floral organs, while the 
food apparently is being pushed back by a thin, elbowed member that 
moves constantly within the tube. The ant often continues lapping 
up the liquid until a full crop is indicated by the distended semi- 
transparent gaster, this requiring from 15 to 30 minutes. It then 
usually rests for a period in the flower, or it may at once start its 
descent toward the nest. On their way down the tree forage-laden 
ants frequently rest in any sheltered location serving to exclude 
light and breezes, and almost invariably a group of ants resting 
motionless may be discovered in such places along the trails. 
Ants Poisoned by Floral Nectar. 
Occasionally the ants are poisoned by the nectar from loquat 
blossoms. On one occasion attention was attracted to a certain group 
of blossoms by the fact that most of the ants in that neighborhood 
were assisting sick comrades, carrying dead ants, or standing slug- 
gishly about. Close observation of many of the last mentioned 
showed them to have the mandibles wide open — rather an unusual 
attitude. Under a hand lens one was seen finally to open the mouth 
so wide that the mandibles extended at right angles to the sides of 
the head and to regurgitate a drop of yellowish fluid. Obviously 
it was a sick ant. It did not attempt again to feed. The loquat 
blossom has a heavy, sweet odor peculiarly its own, but suggesting 
that of the peach or almond, and it seems probable that at times the 
nectar may contain traces of prussic acid. In addition to obtaining 
the nectar from the flowers, the ant gets a good proportion of its 
flesh food there, as will be shown later. 
Utilization of Plant Sap and Fruit Juices as Food. 
The ant also utilizes the unmodified plant sap from orange and 
some other trees whenever it is able to obtain it. It habitually feeds 
upon the sap from wounds in the bark and often has been observed 
working in considerable numbers on every freshly made cut of the 
