Statewide County, SD History - Books .....Ant 1925
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 4, 2007, 12:52 am

Book Title: Doane Robinson's Encyclopedia Of South Dakota

  Ant. Many varieties of these intelligent insects are indigenous to South
Dakota, but it is believed that but one species is peculiar to the section.
These were first described by John Bradbury, the English naturalist, who
ascended the Missouri River in 1811. When in the vicinity of Pierre, on June
5th, Bradbury says: "I had for some time past noticed on the declivities
circular spaces about six or seven feet in diameter, wholly divested of every
kind of vegetation and covered with small gravel. The frequent occurence of
these this day attracted my more particular attention and I found they were
caused by a large species of black ant, hundreds of which were running in every
direction with astonishing activity. On finding a beetle, I put it in the center
of one of these areas, when it was instantly seized by those nearest to it. For
a short time the ants were dragged along with ease; but by some unknown and
surprising faculty the intelligence was immediately spread throughout the whole
space. The ants ran from every direction toward the center and in a few seconds
the poor beetle became completely overpowered. Bradbury does not distinguish
these ants by any name, but they are found for a long distance near the Missouri
in South Dakota and are not seen elsewhere. Neighboring colonies are at enmity
and if a member of one trespass upon the domain of another he is immediately
seized and cut to pieces and carried to the outer edge of the area and cast
away. They do not appear to be cannibalistic.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

DOANE ROBINSON'S
Encyclopedia of South Dakota
FIRST EDITION

Published by the Author
PIERRE
1925

COPYRIGHT BY DOANE ROBINSON. 1925

WILL A. BEACH PRINTING COMPANY
PRINTERS AND BINDERS
SIOUX FALLS


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