180 HYMENOPTEKA. 



workers the ocelli are often wanting, though present in the 

 winged individuals ol" both sexes. The antennae are long, 

 slender and elbowed. The mandibles are stout, and toothed, 

 though in those species that do not themselves labor, but en- 

 slave the workers of other species, the}^ are unarmed and 

 slender. The maxillarj^ palpi are from one to six-jointed, and 

 the labial palpi two to four-jointed. The fore-wings usuall}- 

 have but a single complete subcostal (cubital) cell. The sling 

 is often present, showing that in this respect as well as their 

 fossorial habits the ants are truly aculeate llymenoptera. The 

 larva is short, cylindrical, with the end of the body obtuse. 

 The rings of the body are moderatel}' convex. The head is 

 rather small and bent upon the breast. The larvae are fed by 

 the woi'kers with food elaborated in their stomachs. 



The larva) of the stingless genera usually s[)in a delicate 

 silken cocoon, while those of the aculeate genera do not. Both 

 Latreille and Westwood, however, state that sometimes, as in 

 Formica fusca, of Europe, the pupa; are naked, and at other 

 times enclosed in a cocoon. 



The colonies of the different species Aary greatly in size. In 

 the nests of Formica scoKjuinea the luimber of individuals is Aer^' 

 great. The history of a formicarium, or ant's nest is as follows : 

 The Avorkcrs only (but sometimes the Avinged ant;) hibernate, 

 and are found early in spring, taking care of the eggs and 

 larva) produced by the autumnal brood of females. In the 

 course of the summer the adult forms are developed, swarming 

 on a hot sultry day. The little jelloAV ants, abundant in paths 

 and about houses in Ncav England, generally swarm on the ai- 

 ternoon of some hot day in the lirst Aveek of September, when 

 the air is lilled towards sunset Avith myriads of them. The 

 females, after their marriage lligiit in the air, may then be seen 

 entenng the ground to lay their eggs for ucav colonies, or, as 

 Westwood states, they are often seized b}' the workers and 

 retained in the old colonies. Having no more use for their 

 Avings they pluck them oil', and may be seen running about 

 Avingless. According to (ilould, an early English obserAcr. 

 the eggs destined to hatch the future females, males and 

 workers, are deposited at three diUcrent [xriods. 



The nests of some species of Formica are six feet in diameter 



