THE APID.-E. 261 



queen the bees produce others by feeding up the larvae which 

 should be workers. 



A larva is chosen for this important position, and its cell is 

 enlarged, the neighbouring insects and their cells being destroyed 

 to make room. Then the larva is fed up royally, and the develop- 

 ment of its reproductive system increases, so that finally a change 

 into a fertile female is perfected. 



It is perfectly certain that a maiden female can produce 

 a progeny, and that when there are several fertile females asso- 

 ciated with males they fight until one is the conqueror, the 

 workers dragging out the dead, and witnessing the combat. 



The influence of parasites upon the larvae is considered else- 

 where, as are also the destructive habits of the death's head 

 moth. 



There are some short and squat little bees with long legs and 

 very varied colours, which have no sting, and several fertile females 

 are said to live together in harmony amongst them. There may 

 be some doubt about this last statement, but the species lives in 

 South America, where naturalists are rather scarce. There are 

 many species of these Meliponcz, and Melipona scutellans is one 

 of the largest, so far as the bulk of its insects is concerned. These 

 bees make their nests in hollow trees, but are not slow to occupy 

 a box or a basket, and they are soon domesticated. The en- 

 graving represents part of a nest only, for these structures are 

 very large, and the Meliponce are just as prodigal of their wax 

 as the other bees are careful and sparing of it. The centre of the 

 nest is occupied by the cells for the larvae in the form of a comb 

 of one set of alveoli. The bees hoard up their honey in cells 

 exactly like those in which their larvae are to live, but the Meli- 

 ponce make very large vases of wax, in which they collect and 

 store away honey and pollen, and locate them close to the larva 

 cells, and the walls of these great store-houses are very thick 

 and strong. 



The single rows of cells in combs placed one over the other 

 are shown in the engraving of the nest of Melipona scutellaris 

 on the right hand, and close by are the large vesicles of wax, 

 which are being filled by the workers. 



All the Hymenoptera we have noticed are terrestrial, and tlie 



