128 IIYMEXOPTEKA. 



eiiougli, only in the drones, tliongh it is the workers which 

 frequent watery pLaces (where the worm deposits its eggs) to 

 appease their thirst. The "Wax-motlis, Galleria cereana and 

 Acliroia alvearia, do much harm by consuming the wax and 

 thus breaking down the cells, and by filling the hive with 

 their Avebs.* 



The genus A2)is is indigenous in South America, though the 

 Honey-bee has been extensively introduced into the West In- 

 dies. Our Honey-bee is replaced in tlie tropics by the stingless, 

 minute bees, Avliich store up honey and live in far more numer- 

 ous colonies. The cells of MeUjiona are hexagonal, nearly 

 approaching in regularity those of the Hive-bee, while the 

 honej'-cells are irregular, much larger cavities, which hold about 

 one-half as much honey as a cell of the Humble-bee. From a 

 ])aper on the Brazilian Honey-bees, read by Mr. F. Smith be- 

 fore the Entomological Society of London, March, 18G3, he 

 states that the Meliponas are small insects, having wings shorter 

 than the abdomen, the latter being ver}' convex and oblong ; 

 their mandibles never being dentate ; while the Trkjonas have 

 the wings more ample, and longer than the abdomen, which is 

 short, somewhat triangular, while the mandibles are serrated, 

 denticulate, or sometimes edentate. The 3IeIiponas are re- 

 stricted to the new world, while Trigona extends into Africa, 

 India, and Australasia. 



"All these bees are honey gatherers, but the honey collected 

 by the different species varies greatly in quality : from the 

 nests of some it is excellent ; from others, worthless. The 

 honey of the species ^ Momhuca' is said to be black and sour, 

 the quality being dependent on species of flowers from which 

 the honey is collected. This great difference in the honey of 

 the various species is apparent^ confirmatory of the fact that 

 each species confines itself to particular flowers, never visiting 

 any other kind. The different relative length of the tongue in 



♦Explanation of Plate 2. Parasites of the Honey-ljee. Fig. 1, Phora incras- 

 sata; Fig. 2, pupa; Fig. 3, larva. Fig. 4, Braula cceca; Fig. 5, larva. Fig. 6, Tri- 

 chodes nplarius .- a, larva ; b, pupa. Fig. 7, Meloe. angustlcollis ; Fig. 8, freshly hatched 

 larva; Fig. 9, second stage of larva; Fig. 10, first stage of semi-pupa; Fig. 11, 

 pupa. Fig. 12, Stijlops Chihlreni in the body of a wild bee, Andrena; Fig. 13, top 

 view of the same removed from its host; Fig. 14, male of the same; a, side view. 

 Fig. 15, Mncor meUitophorus, a parasitic fungus. Fig. 16, unknown larva found in 

 uest of Humble-bee. Descriptions of the insect parasites will be given beyond. 



