Ants and Fowls.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 160, 28 August 1886, Page 2

Ants and Fowls.

Vvos this subject Mr T.B. Hill of Auckland has sent us for perusal a letter received by him some time ago from a Tauranga Settler, the following extract from which is of interest to poultry keepers :—: — Most of my neighbours are in special trouble just now, as swarms of stinging ants have been about lately, and every one has been losing their fowls from them. We have> escaped so far, as we are surrounded by trees, on which the brutes stay. They come out after the first heavy rain in April, but not till we have a warm fine day. Little and big always come together. 99 1 should think out of every hundied are the little black.' ones, which are the males, and are harmless.' The big red females, as queen beeants, are said to* kill the fowls by stinging the throat. Do you think they would be tit to eat when killed in this way if seen in time to bleed ' while alive ? I saw two of ours fall dead last season. One was evidently choked as it came for food,' and -as I . soon 'as^Lthrew some wheat down it fell dead in an instant. ' I 1I 1 ploughed up a nest of the brutes the other day. • ' One half were thelittle common •wingless ants. Most of the* rise .were the» little bla*cki\vinged ants with, I should think,, about 30 or 40 of the big fat queen bee ants above half an inch long;; Some are almoßkJblack'and ~ some red. > I am*' going; mto 1 this subject --at great 'length, but you must know that it is a c very important one. here at present, and is quite ds much talked about as Sir Julius and his ten million ' scheme.