50 BEES AND WASPS [OH. 



provided. The front legs possess a special arrange- 

 ment for cleansing the antennae: if any living 

 aculeate insect be observed for a few minutes, it is 

 sure to be seen to pass its antennae through the 

 brush-and-comb apparatus on these limbs. Her 

 toilet completed, the young "worker" visits a few 

 cells containing large larvae, touches their heads with 

 her jaws, and obtains from each a drop of liquid which 

 she at once swallows. For a day or two she remains 

 within the nest, but relieves the "queen" of the labour 

 of distributing food to the grubs; for when the 

 "queen" brings a load of food to the nest, the young 

 "worker" takes it from her and doles it out to the 

 hungry larvae. 



In about two days the young "worker" issues 

 from the nest and sets about the task of collecting 

 supplies for the grubs, and "wasp-paper" for the 

 enlargement of the nest. When the "queen" has 

 reared about a dozen helpers she delegates to them 

 the entire care of the grubs and the work of building. 

 Henceforth she herself remains within the nest and 

 devotes all her energies to depositing eggs in the cells 

 prepared for her. 



The "workers" carry on the building begun by the 

 unaided "queen." Fresh cells are added round the 

 margin of the existing comb; the inner wrappings 

 are cut away one after the other to make room for 

 extension, and fresh coverings are added externally. 



