EXTERNAL ANATOMY OF THE HONEY BEE 1 (1) 



1. Examine a freshly killed or preserved Honey Bee of the worker type 

 and note that the body is divided into head, thorax, and abdomen. 

 Study the specimen with the dissecting microscope. Observe that the 

 thorax is composed of three segments, each of which bears a pair of jointed 

 legs. The second and third thoracic segments also bear a pair of wings. 

 Observe that the abdomen is composed of six visible segments. The exo- 

 skeleton of each of these segments is made up of the dorsal tergum and 

 the ventral sternum. At the posterior end of the abdomen is the anus 

 and the opening for the sting apparatus. Make an enlarged drawing 

 of the animal from the left side to show the structures observed. 



2. Remove the head, place it on a slide, and study the anterior surface 

 under the dissecting microscope. Note: (a) the large compound eyes, 

 which project from either side of the head ; (b) the small simple eyes 

 (ocelli) in the center and almost on top of the head ; (c) the pair of 

 jointed antennae and just below them on the anterior surface; (d) a 

 median, dome-shaped structure (clypeus) to which is attached (e) the 

 upper lip (labrum). As seen from the anterior surface the chief mouth 

 parts consist of (/) a long, median tongue (glossa) with (g) a spoon-like 

 tip (labellum) ; (h) a pair of labial palps, one on each side of the 

 tongue; (i) a pair of wider, projecting maxillae, lateral to the palps; 

 and (J) a pair of mandibles, attached near the labrum. The mandibles 

 are generally closed, in which position they obscure the underlying labrum 

 and (k) epipharynx. Make an enlarged drawing of the head from the 

 anterior surface to show the structures observed. 



3. With fine forceps remove the posterior portion of the abdomen. 

 Place it on a slide under the dissecting microscope, and with a pair of 

 needles dissect out the sting apparatus. Note the following parts: 

 (a) a pair of barbed darts, which with the sheath form a long, rigid, 

 median structure ; (6) a pair of fleshy sting feelers, one on either side 

 of the darts; and (c) the poison sac with attached poison glands. 

 Draw to show the structures observed. 



1 B. pp. 123-128. 



299 



