METAZOA INSECTA. 485 



There are among bees no wingless forms, and this is 

 another proof that these insects are examples of special- 

 ization by addition. 



The abdomen bears a sting which, however, is within 

 the body. The origin of this organ is similar to that of 

 the ovipositor of locusts. Connected with the sting are 

 two poison glands. The abdomen of the worker is pro- 

 vided with glands for secreting wax. These are on the 

 lower side and the wax is secreted in the form of scales 

 which are worked over by the bees. 



A prosperous colony of Apis consists of from 80,000 to 

 90,000 bees. Of these a few hundred are males, one is a 

 female or queen, and the remainder are workers. Through 

 the partial or complete suppression of the genital organs, 

 and also through the acquisition of adaptive features, the 

 workers of Apis have become differentiated to a greater 

 degree than those of any other colony of bees. They se- 

 crete the wax for the comb (No. 1243), the hexagonal 

 cells of which are cradles for the young and storehouses 

 for honey. They, in brief, carry on all the industrial 

 work of the hive and are equipped, as we have seen, with 

 pollen baskets, wax-secreting glands and honey bags, none 

 of which the male or female possesses. 



There seems to be a superabundance of males, many 

 of whom do little or nothing ; a few only of the number 

 aid in perpetuating the race. In the early spring the 

 queen begins to lay eggs and is capable of laying 4,000 

 in twenty-four hours. So prolific is she that in time the 

 nest or hive becomes overcrowded. Then it is that the 

 old queen with from 60,000 to 70,000 workers emigrates 

 and founds a new home, leaving in the old nest some 

 20,000 or 30,000 workers, many developing larvae and 

 pupae (from one of which the new queen will eventually 

 be born), and thousands of cells filled with honey. This 

 is called the primary swarm ; the second swarm, that 

 often takes place later, is led by the new queen. After 

 this second swarm has settled in its home, the new queen 



