60 
THE ARGENTINE ANT AND OTHER EXOTIC ANTS 
majority of crops grown in the South. Former indifference 
to its movements has given way to concern at its approach 
. . . Just how much territory this ant will ultimately infest 
we can not foretell with accuracy from the data at present 
available. It is quite safe, however, to venture the opinion 
that the species will eventually spread over a considerable 
portion of the Southern States — certainly over all of the 
orange and sugar-cane belts, and perhaps over all of the 
cotton belt.” 
Referring to the small beginnings of the infestation he 
writes: — “The species had doubtless been introduced years 
before that time, but was gathering strength and establishing 
itself for a considerable period before its numbers become 
sufficient to attract attention. Since then it has increased 
from a few scattered and apparently insignificant specimens 
to armies and hordes numbering myriads of individuals. 
It has spread from a few blocks on the water front of the 
Mississippi River over practically the entire city, and has 
sent out vast numbers of colonists for hundreds of miles 
along the railways and waterways radiating from New 
Orleans. These pioneers have succeeded in founding scores 
of communities of more or less importance in the smaller 
cities and towns. Each of these communities is in turn 
furnishing its quota of migrants, and these are extending the 
affected territory in all directions from the original source of 
infestation. Thus, instead of the dispersion being from one 
source only, it is now taking place from hundreds of different 
points.” 
This is exactly the position with which we are faced in 
Victoria to-day. A number of comparatively small outbreaks 
in widely separated districts are developing apace, and unless 
drastic action is taken immediately to prevent the dispersion 
of the pest and concentrated effort given to exterminating 
the nests at present in existence, the whole of Australia will 
be faced with the same colossal expenditure that the American 
Government has had to meet in the past with little results 
to show for it. 
Every effort must be made to exterminate this menace 
while there is still some possibility of success. Without the 
full co-operation of the Departments concerned, and the 
general public, little can be done. Whatever action is to be 
taken, it must be done at once. 
To assist in the identification of this species, detailed 
descriptions and figures of the worker, female and male are 
given in the following pages. 
