Wasps, Bees, and Ants 



461 



sac (p.s.) flows from this into lesser reservoirs in the expanded base of the 

 sheath and escapes through the valve (v) along the darts 

 into the wound. The tactile (and perhaps olfactory) palpi 

 (p) are used to explore the surface of the object to be 

 stung. The modifications of the various appendage-like 

 parts which compose the sting to form an egg-depositing 

 organ (ovipositor) are extremely various and are described 

 later in connection with various special groups. The 

 number of separate parts or processes which compose 

 the ovipositor or sting and which arise from the two ab- 

 dominal segments next in front of the terminal one is FIG 6 g p-ronta 1 



six, and some entomologists consider these parts to be true 

 appendages, homologous with the legs and mouth-parts. 

 In the development of all Hymenoptera the meta- 

 morphosis is complete, and the larvae are, more than 

 in any other order, helpless and dependent for their 

 food and safety on the provision or care of the parents. 



pect of head of larva 

 of mud-wasp, md., 

 mandible; mx., max- 

 illa; mx.L, maxillary 

 lobe; li., labium; 

 li.p., labial palpus. 



With many 



/a 



FIG. 649. FIG. 650. 



FIG. 649. Lateral aspect of head of full-grown larva of mud-wasp cleared so as to 



show forming adult head within, i.h., head of adult; i.e., compound eye of adult; 



I.e., body-wall of larval head; i.ant., antennae of adult; I.md., mandible of larva; 



i.md., mandible of adult; l.mx., maxilla of larva; i.mx., maxilla of adult; i.mx.p., 



maxillary palpus of adult; l.li., labium of larva; i.li., labium of adult; li.lip., labial 



palpus of adult. 

 FIG. 650. Sting of the worker honey-^ ee. p.gl., poison-gland; p.s., poison-sac; d., dart; 



/., levers; v., valve; s., sheath; p., palpus. 



species, as the solitary wasps and bees, food is stored up in the cell in which 



