ALIEN ASSOCIATES AND AFFINITIES 



It might therefore be maintained, with a good degree 

 of verity, that social men in their communal life show 

 no great superiority to social insects in dealing with the 



R. JS. Howe del. 



(By courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History) 



Fig. 86 PHEIDOLE INSTABILIS AND ITS PARASITES 



1. Big-headed soldier of Pheidole Kingi Andre var. instabilis Emery. 

 2. Typical worker of Pheidole Kingi instabilis. 3. Male of the 

 same. 4. Orasema riridis Ashmead, female. 5. Male. 6. Ora- 

 sema coloradensis Ashmead. 



parasites that infest them (Fig. 86). Especially when 

 we consider the vast advantage of men over ants in nat- 

 ural endowments, the relative unwisdom of the latter 

 does not bulk so largely. 



A Chalcid fly, Orasema viridis, is parasitic upon colonies 

 of the ant Pheidole instabilis (Fig. 87). The chalcid is a 

 beautiful insect, decorated with metallic green, and blue, 



233 



