254 



ELEMENTARY ENTOMOLOGY 



not over one twenty-fifth of an inch long, and the smallest not 

 over one fifth that size. Most of them inhabit the eggs of insects, 

 though some are secondary parasites ; that is, they are parasitic 

 on larger parasites, and to this degree are sometimes injurious. 



FlG. 403. The fig insect (Blastophaga grossorum], whose introduction has made 

 Smyrna fig culture possible in California. (Enlarged) 



a, adult female ; ft, head of same from below ; c, from side ; d, male fertilizing female ; e, 

 female issuing from gall ; /, adult male. (After Westwood, from Howard) 



SUBORDER II. THE STINGING HYMENOPTERA (ACULEATA) 



In the second suborder the female bears a well-developed sting 

 at the tip of the abdomen, which is effectively used as an organ of 

 offense. The trochanters of the hind-legs have but a single seg- 

 ment in all of the ants, wasps, and bees which form this suborder. 



1. THE ANTS (FORMICINA] 



A long chapter might well be devoted to these well-known in- 

 sects, for many interesting volumes have been written by some of 

 our greatest naturalists concerning their remarkable intelligence 

 and the highly developed organization of their society. 1 Every one 

 recognizes an ant, but the so-called white ants, or termites (Ternii- 

 tidae, order Platyptera), and the velvet ants (Mutillidae) may be 

 distinguished from them by the fact that the first segment of the 



1 See the most interesting monograph of Dr. W. M. Wheeler, "Ants," Colum- 

 bia Biological Series. 



