106 LIFE STORIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. 



the propodeum and is for convenience regarded as 

 part of the thorax. Also for clearness we will re- 

 gard the true second segment of the abdomen as the 

 first, for it is the first segment of the abdomen as 

 one sees it. The abdomen is usually stalked with 

 a stalk or petiole (Plate 22, Fig. 8.a.) more or less 

 long; this gives free movement to the abdomen 

 which is a great advantage to those insects which 

 sting. 



At the end of the abdomen of the female is a 

 sting, an ovipositor, or a saw. (Plate 14, Figs. 

 3, 4, 6 and 7). Professor Spencer in "Across Aus- 

 tralia" thus sums up the foresight, of hymenopter- 

 ous insects: "The utilization of the nectar of flowers 

 or of the sweet material secreted by other insects 

 for the manufacture of honey, seems to be a faculty 

 possessed only by members of the Hymenoptera 

 among insects. Bees store it in combs, ants in 

 the bodies of certain members of the community; 

 and in regard to this particular point both of these 

 insects are more sagacious than the Australian 

 savage who literally takes 'no thought for the 

 morrow' and never thinks of laying in a store ofj 

 food to help him to tide over bad times." 



Social Instincts. — Saw flies show a tendency toj 

 social habits in most species by the habit of th( 

 larvae being clustered together in confused inter- 

 coiled groups while in repose, after feeding on the^ 

 leaves of Eucalyptus. (See Plate 14, Fig. 8.) They 

 also pupate in the ground close to each other, 

 sometimes forming a solid mass of cocoons. 



The Mud-daubers (Wasps) or solitary wasps 



