THE NEST OF THE PARASOL ANTS 
“I wish we could watch the ants at work inside of their 
nest/’ remarked Marylee, as they stood around a nest of 
parasol ants, and watched the little insects carry bits 
of green leaves down into the ground. 
“It would be very interesting,” said Uncle Jack. “You 
would enjoy seeing the ants caring for their babies.” 
“Oh, Uncle Jack, tell us about the baby ants/’ begged 
both of the girls. 
“Ants lay eggs as most of the other insects do,” began 
Uncle Jack. “These ants keep their eggs in special rooms 
where it is damp and warm enough to make the eggs 
hatch into tiny ants. These ant babies are then carried 
to another room, which we may call the nursery.” 
“How do the ants carry the babies?” asked Marylee. 
“Do they have baskets or baby buggies?” 
“I know how they carry them,” said Fred. “I lifted 
up a stone one day and saw the ants carry away their 
babies. Of course, they did not have baskets or baby 
buggies. They did not carry them in their arms the way 
people carry babies, either. They carried them in their 
jaws, almost the way a mother cat carries her kitten.” 
“You are right, Fred,” agreed Uncle Jack. “The jaws 
of the large ants are very sharp, but the ants carry their 
babies so gently that they are not hurt. The nurse ants 
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