ANT’S POISON SPRAY.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1923, Page 1

ANT’S POISON SPRAY.

LONDON, July 17 Tu the bottom ot what looks l ilvo a miniature .shell-hole in the Zoo’s Insect House there lives a tine big savage ant-lion who has recently arrived in this country. He had two smaller cousins of a different family, hut one of these was eaten by the big chap, while the other just ‘ saved his bacon’’ by turning into a chrysalis from which he will emerge as a small dragoii-lly and so escape the devouring monster. lint the monster himself has had a nasty set-hack which has fpiite spoiled his appetite. He lives just tmdet the deepest paid of Ins sandy pit. and when ants stagger over the edge he heaves showers of miniature stones at them until the bewildered prey -slips down to the bottom of the trap and within reach of tHo ant-lion s jaws. He has iust had an encounter with ft wood-ant who is gifted with a most useful poison-spray of formic: acid. This particular ant can shoot a jet of stinging .stuff for about- 12 inches. Re crouches, curls his tail-end downward and forward, and then brings his artillery to hear. The ant-lion did not approve of prey which shot back at him, and he now refuses to touch this particular species. Ordinary ground-ants are still welcome.

The keeper said that he has had one or two experiences with the poison of the wood-ants. Once it touched a scratch niul was most painful. Another time he went too near the nest and was bombarded by the ants, who shot their acid at his tace and blinded him for ten minutes.