Such are the facts, though they did not need confirmation by me, in
regard to the wonderful instinct of making slaves. Let it be observed
what a contrast the instinctive habits of F. sanguinea present with
those of the F. rufescens. The latter does not build its own nest,
does not determine its own migrations, does not collect food for
itself or its young, and cannot even feed itself: it is absolutely
dependent on its numerous slaves. Formica sanguinea, on the other
hand, possesses much fewer slaves, and in the early part of the summer
extremely few. The masters determine when and where a new nest shall
be formed, and when they migrate, the masters carry the slaves. Both
in Switzerland and England the slaves seem to have the exclusive care
of the larvae, and the masters alone go on slave-making expeditions.
In Switzerland the slaves and masters work together, making and
bringing materials for the nest: both, but chiefly the slaves, tend,
and milk as it may be called, their aphides; and thus both collect
food for the community. In England the masters alone usually leave the
nest to collect building materials and food for themselves, their
slaves and larvae. So that the masters in this country receive much
less service from their slaves than they do in Switzerland.
By what steps the instinct of F. sanguinea originated I will not
pretend to conjecture. But as ants, which are not slave-makers, will,
as I have seen, carry off pupae of other species, if scattered near
their nests, it is possible that pupae originally stored as food might
become developed; and the ants thus unintentionally reared would then
follow their proper instincts, and do what work they could.
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