34 



BULLETIN 67, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



praise of observers in ancient times. In these insects (fig. 159) there 

 are between the thorax and the main part of the abdomen one or two 

 tiny segments with a knob or lobe above. The trochanters are undi- 

 vided; the antennas are often elbowed or geniculate. Ants live in 



communities of varying size, 

 some of only ten or twenty in- 

 dividuals, others of many thou- 

 sands. In most cases there are 

 several forms — the winged male, 

 the winged female or mother of 

 the colony, the wingless neuters 

 or workers, and in some cases 

 there are soldiers which have 

 enlarged heads or longer jaws. 

 The larvse are footless maggots 

 fed and reared by the workers. In some cases they pupate within a 

 silken case. Many kinds of ants can sting. 



Some ants make slaves of other kinds, the slave working willingly 

 in the new colony. A few species store up seeds for the winter; 

 others keep and protect plant-lice, from which they secure drops of 

 nectar; others grow a sort of mushroom in their nest for food. Some- 

 times one colony will have a tremendous battle with a neighboring 

 colony. Each ant of a nest can recognize any other member of that 



Fig. 67.— A C'halcis-fly, Spilochalcis marije. 



Fig. 68.— An Ichneumon fly, Ephialtes irritator. 



nest, no matter how numerous the colony, and they will fight any 

 intruder from, another nest. Several kinds of beetles, flies, and mites 

 live in ants nests; these are called "myrmecophiles.'' 



The Fossores include the largest and most powerful insects of 

 the order. These insects have a sting, the fore- wings are not 

 folded, and the hairs of the body are not plumose. Most of 



