ARTHROPODA. 



151 



wails, banks, &c. Social species construct combs, composed of 

 hexagonal cells, for storing the food [honey] of their larvae. 

 Honey is the nectar collected from flowers which, undergoing a 

 certain alteration in the stomach, is regurgitated into the cells. 

 Wax is digested honey emitted through the sides of the ventral 

 segments and worked up by the mandibles into a state fit to form 

 tie cells. The queen-bee is a selected and richly-fed larva ; 

 during her life of five years she is said to lay about a million of 

 eggs. Tegetmeier cites cases of eggs laid by neuters. The un- 

 impregnated eggs give rise to drones, the impregnated eggs to 

 females (and neuters). What is called the wedding-flight, which 

 occurs but once in a lifetime, is always taken in the air. 



A community of the hive bee is estimated by Westwood to 

 contain 2000 males or drones, 50,000 workers, and 1 queen. 



Pollen is collected either with the hind femora (Apis, An- 

 drena), with the abdomen (Megachile, Osmia, Anthidium), or 

 with the hind tibiae (Anthophora, Eucera). Sphecodes and Pro- 

 sopis do not collect. Melecta, Nomada, Epeolus, and others are 

 solitary and parasitical. Andrenidse have short tongues, Apidae 

 long ones. There are about 250 British species. 



ApidcB. 



Apis (Hive-bee). 

 Melipona. 

 Trigona. 

 Bombus (Humble- 



bee). 

 Eulema. 



Apathus = Psithyrus. 

 Euglossa. 

 Aglae. 

 Epicharis. 

 Centris. 

 Anthophora. 

 Saropoda. 

 Eucera. 

 Systropha. 



Oxasa. 



Lestis. 



Xylocopa. 



Megachile. 



Chalicodoma. 



Osrnia. 



Ceratina. 



Heriades. 



Chelostoma. 



Anthidium. 



Melecta. 



Chrysantheda. 



Thalestria. 



Crocisa. 



Nomada. 



Epeolus. 



Stelis. 

 Coelioxys. 



Andrenidce. 

 Panurgus. 

 Andrena Melitta. 

 Cilissa. 

 Dasypoda. 

 Nomia. 

 Cyathocera. 

 Halictus = Hylaeus. 

 Colletes. 

 Macropis. 

 Augochlora. 

 Agapostemon. 

 Sphecodes = Dichroa. 

 Prosopis. 



