. Ants; their structure, development and behavior. e new ones without serious changes are often necessitated by the habit of nesting in situa-tions exposed to great and sudden changes in temperature and mois-ture or to the inroads of more aggressive ants and larger terrestrialanimals. Barring the intervention of such unusual conditions, how-ever, most ants cling to their nests tenaciously and with every evidenceof a keen sense of proprietorship, although there are a few species,besides the nomadic Dorylinse, that seem to delight in an occasionalchange of residence. Wasmann h
. Ants; their structure, development and behavior. e new ones without serious changes are often necessitated by the habit of nesting in situa-tions exposed to great and sudden changes in temperature and mois-ture or to the inroads of more aggressive ants and larger terrestrialanimals. Barring the intervention of such unusual conditions, how-ever, most ants cling to their nests tenaciously and with every evidenceof a keen sense of proprietorship, although there are a few species,besides the nomadic Dorylinse, that seem to delight in an occasionalchange of residence. Wasmann has shown that Formica san .IMS. other during- March and April and again during late summer or earlyautumn (September). The summer nests are built in open, sunnyplare^ where food i> abundant and the conditions most favorable torearing the brood, whereas the winter nests are built under stumps and. FIG. 108. Nest of occidentalis at Las Vegas, New Mexico; showingthe basal entrance on the southeastern side. (Original.) rocks usually in protected spots in the woods, and are used as hiber-nacula, or, very rarely, for protection from excessive heat during thesummer. The migration of ants from one nest to another is determined uponand initiated by a few workers which are either more sensitive toadverse conditions or of a more alert and venturesome disposition thanthe majority of their fellows. These workers, after selecting a site,begin to deport their brood, queens, males, fellow workers and eventheir myrmecophiles. The deported workers are at first too stronglyattached to their old quarters to remain in the new ones and thereforekeep returning and carrying back the brood. The enterprising workers,however, obstinately persist in their endeavors to move the colony tilltheir intentions are grasped and become contagious. The indecision orindifference of many of the workers
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectants, bookyear1910
