CLOUD OF FLYING ANTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18975, 27 March 1936, Page 12

CLOUD OF FLYING ANTS

PARADE GROUND ORDEAL TARANAKI TERR]TORTA'J£ A cloud of flying ants invaded the camp of the Taranaki Regiment at New Plymouth' on Sunday morning and at one time it was impossible to see the tents on the eastern side of the ground from the parade area. The whole personnel of the catap, •about,2so, was* goingi through the movements' for the presentation of colours by the? Governor-General. They were ail lined up and the rehearsal had reached its most impressive part, where the battalion stands still in set positions, when the'ants- appeared from over the Waiwakaiho River.. In a few seconds the pests were everywhere, blotting out vision in a black swarm. "It was just like a cloud descending oil us," said one of" the volunteers who went through the ordeal. It -was now a choice between military dignity and almost insufferable discomfort. f'The tiny ants crawled ■ into ears nnd eyes and under shirt collars, 'the senior-officers, feeling thai they must set - an Example, stood stockstill, but a few minutes, with ants crawling over various parts of his body was enough for at least.one officer, who dug his sword into the and had a few happy •moments of slapping-. St'iljj the destruction of a few thousand of the" p'esta did not. drive the. rest away. and'altßbtigh the parade was continued