WHITE ANTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10267, 20 June 1911, Page 4

WHITE ANTS.

White ants are a terrible scourge in northern andi central Australia. In appearance the termites are fat and yellow, about the vize of gentles used by anglers. Tine wthite ant appears to have- a wide margin for taste. Mr Wm. Burton, writing in the Sydney Mail, says that it eats through almost anything—leather, wood, tobacco, soap, books, clothing—nothing short of iron will arrest its ravages. Ordinary wood affords this ravenous insect a ispeoial feaisft, and 210 timber, except .cypress pine, paper-ibark, iron bark, or ibdjoodwood is oapaible of withstanding fits attack. There are millions of ant lulls in< the Is or them Territory/ of Australia, many being upwards of 25ft. high and 6ft to ■loft in diameter." These are very btrong, resisting the heavy pressure of tropical rains, the larger ones appearing to be of great age—possibly some hundreds of years. These ants are rarely seen unless unearthed, always working under cover, protecting themselves by a i&ihield of glutinous earth las a shelter from the attacks of tilieir constant enemy,' the small and vicious black ant. Amongst the Slacks a dish of white ants, paxroasted, is a delicacy. On account of these ipests the transcontinental railway -sleepers will have to be made of steel, likewise bridges and culverts. The ants have' been known to eat through cement. '