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769. 

 APIS MELLIFICA. 



The Common Hive or Honey Bee. 



OiiDER Hymenoptera. Fam. Apidae. 



Type of the Genus, Ajjis mellifica Linn. 

 Apis Linn., Fab., Kirb., Cm-t. Guide, Gen. 724. 1. 



Antennce inserted at the centre of the face, approximating, ge- 

 niculated, filiform, 13 -jointed in the male {I ^), basal joint the 

 longest and stoutest, hairy outside, 2nd oblong, 3rd and 4th 

 short, the remainder oblong, apical joint conical compressed : 

 r2-jointed in the neuter (1 9). basal joint much longer, hairy, 

 2nd small, 3rd a little longer, obovate- truncate, 3rd the short- 

 est, following oblong, apical joint short, conic compressed. 

 Labrum of male short, broad, and nearly linear, ciliated with 

 long hairs (2): anterior margin convex in the neuter (2). 

 Mandibles small in the male, dilated at the base, slender above, 

 apex bidentate, densely clothed with long pubescence outside 

 (3) : corset-shaped in the neuter, hairy outside, apex obliquely 

 ovate, concave and ciliated on the margin (3). 

 Maxillee a little shorter than the mentum in the male (4), ter- 

 minated by a horny lanceolate lobe as long as the lip («). Palpi, 

 minute ovate lobes (b) : a little more distinct in the neuters. 

 Mentum not very long in the male, elliptic-truncate (5); rather 

 l)roader at the base in the neuter (5). Lip twice as long, linear, 

 very pubescent, except at the base, apex ovate in the male(c^: 

 longer, less hairy, with a valve at the apex in the neuter (c). 

 Paraglossce rather large and ovate in the male, notched behind 

 (rf) : much smaller in the neuter. Palpi shorter than the lip in 

 the male, attached to scapes, broad, compressed and 4-jointed, 

 ciliated internally, basal joint long and elliptic, 2nd moderate, 

 subovate, 3rd attached to the apex of the 2nd, small, elongate- 

 ovate as well as the 4th (b) : longer than the lip in the neuter, 

 from the greater length of the basal joint (b). 

 Male : face orbicular : eyes very long, 'pubescent, contiguous above : ocelli 3 

 in triangle in front. Thorax large, transverse : scutel lunate. Abdomen 

 6-jointed, elongate-ovate, very hairy at the base and apex, basal joint con- 

 cealed. Wings ample, with 1 long marginal and 3 siihmarginal cells, '2nd 

 subtrigonate, 3rd oblique. Legs stout, hinder the longest pubescent (8f ) ; 

 thighs not long : tibias short, anterior with a membranous dilated spine at 

 the apex, intermediate with a long and slender one, hinder tibia longer, di- 

 lated and compressed at the apex, very velvety inside, spurs none : tarsi 5- 

 jointed, basal joint oblong, anterior luith a very deep notch at the base, hinder 

 ■ large, elliptic and very velvety inside, remainder short, hairy, oblrigonate, 

 4th cordate, 5th large, obconic : claws strong, bifid at the apex : pulvilli 

 ovate. Neuter : face cordate : eyes moderate, remote : ocelli 3 on the crown. 

 Abdomen short, ovate-conic, basal joint short, but distinct : sting serrated 

 at the apex, inclosed in 2 valves. Wings moderate. Legs all hairy : tibiae, 

 hinder very broad and pectinated at the apex (Sf), very pubescent inside : 

 tarsi, basal joint dilated in the intermediate, very large in the hinder, densely 

 pubescent and striated transversely on the insiuc, the outer superior angle 

 hooked, following joints compressed and a little dilated: claws deeply bifid 

 on the inside. Female : head smaller. Wings shorter than the body. Ab- 

 domen long and conical. Hinder legs and all the tarsi with very short pu- 

 bescence inside, basal joint not hooked above. Obs. the female resembles 'he 

 neuter in the trophi, and, other parts unnoticed above, and the oral and other 

 parts of the neuter, not noticed, are similar to those of the male. The G dis- 

 sections on the left are from the male, the 5 on the right from the neuter. 



391. 



