Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub
[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]

All these ants appeared quite insensible. Altogether sixteen friends were taken to the nest and five thrown into the water, while of the strangers only three were taken to the nest, and fifteen were thrown into the water. Moreover, as in the preceding observation, even the three strangers which were at first taken to the nest were soon brought out again and thrown away; while this was not the case with any of the friends as far as we could ascertain, though we searched diligently for them also. In this case also all the intoxicated ants were motionless and apparently insensible.

January 15.-Repeated the same experiment, beginning at 12.20. Up to 7 P.M. not one of the intoxicated ants had been moved. At 8.20 we found a stranger in the water, at 9.30 another, and at the following morning a third. The others were untouched.

January 17.-Repeated the same experiment, beginning at 11.30.

At 12 a friend was carried to the nest.

12.20 a stranger was dropped into the water.
12.34 a friend was carried to the nest.

12.40 a stranger was dropped into the water.
12.45 a friend was carried to the nest.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]

(Stopped observing till 2.)

2.30 a stranger was dropped into the water.
2.30 a stranger was carried to the nest.

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

Thus, then, the general results were that the ants removed forty-one friends and fifty-two strangers. Of the friends, thirty-two were carried into the nest and nine were thrown into the water. Of the strangers, on the contrary, forty-three were thrown into the water; only nine were taken into the nest, and seven of these were shortly afterwards brought out again and thrown away. Indeed, I fully believe that the other two were treated in the same manner, though we could not satisfy ourselves of the fact. But it was only by very close observation that the seven were detected, and the other two may well have escaped notice.

It seems clear, therefore, that even in a condition of insensibility these ants were recognised by their friends.

Tabular View.-Experiments on Ants under
Chloroform and Intoxicated.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

In these cases some of the Ants had partly recovered; in the following they were quite insensible.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

CHAPTER VI.

RECOGNITION OF FRIENDS.

IT has been already shown that with ants, as with bees, while the utmost harmony reigns between those belonging to the same community, all others are enemies. I have already given ample proof that a strange ant is never tolerated in a community. This of course implies that all the bees or ants of a community have the power of recognising one another, a most surprising fact, when we consider the shortness of their life and their immense numbers. It is calculated that in a single hive there may be as many as 50,000 bees, and in the case of ants the numbers are still greater. In the large communities of Formica pratensis it is probable that there may be as many as from 400,000 to 500,000 ants, and in other cases even these large numbers are exceeded.

If, however, a stranger is put among the ants of another nest, she is at once attacked. On this point I have satisfied myself, as will be seen in the following pages, that the statements of Huber and others are perfectly correct. If, for instance, I introduced a stranger into one of my nests, say of Formica fusca or

Lasius niger, she was at once attacked. One ant would seize her by an antenna, another by a leg, and she was either dragged out of the nest or killed.

[ocr errors]

Moreover, we have not only to deal with the fact that ants know all their comrades, but that they recognise them even after a lengthened separation.

Huber mentions that some ants which he had kept in captivity having accidentally escaped, 'met and recognised their former companions, fell to mutual caresses with their antennæ, took them up by their mandibles, and led them to their own nests; they came presently in a crowd to seek the fugitives under and about the artificial ant-hill, and even ventured to reach the bell-glass, where they effected a complete desertion by carrying away successively all the ants they found there. In a few days the ruche was depopulated. These ants had remained four months without any communication.'' This interesting statement has been very naturally copied by succeeding writers. See, for instance, Kirby and Spence's 'Introduction to Entomology,' vol. ii. p. 66, and Newport, 'Trans. of the Entomological Society of London,' vol. ii. p. 239.

Forel, indeed, regards the movements observed by Huber as having indicated fear and surprise rather than affection; though he is quite disposed to believe, from his own observations, that ants would recognise one another after a separation of several months.

1 Huber, p. 172.

« ÎnapoiContinuă »