MIGRATIONS OF INSECTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 5056, 6 March 1900, Page 3

MIGRATIONS OF INSECTS.

SO THE BHITOE. Sib,—ln » local in Saturday's issue of your paper you mention a, case of "migration of aphides " occuring in the streets of Ashburton The minute "bluish insects" which you. refer to ac appearing in large flights were not aphides but native anta in the act of B«vattnltig, which they do annually in the months of Februaiy and March. In the month of January their nests generally become overcrowded with youi.g winged ants of the three forms ready to leave their parental horns and migrate to other districts te found new colonies. The several calm ■ttltry days with fishes of hot sunshine we have experienced for tome weeks have been pecutiairiy adapted to the migrations of ante. Frequently numerous swerina meet and commingle in the air, forming immense columns. As the swarms slowly wing their way across the country numbers of the anta keep dropping ou6 of eftdh swatm on the ground, when they thaite off their winga and proceed eogerly to search forpsw ittts whweisto

establish young colonies. In choosing the sites they endeavour ;o discover such where the roots of th« some vhab stunted vegetation ■ are affected by root-feeding aphides and scale insects. Tbep.e insects both secrete ; ; honeydew, with which the ants feed their ' young. It is the Bweet Becretions of aphides, and scale insects—-the miloh cows of acts— which enables a single pair of the latter to rear a very numerous progeny, even in a single season.—l am, etc., i w.w.s.