Wasps, Bees, and Ants 



S^l 



sometimes chewed and mixed with some saliva, and carried to the scat of 

 the comb-building operation. Here the wax is pressed against the frame roof 

 (or artificial foundation) and by means of the trowel-like mandibles moulded 

 into the familiar hexagonal cells; each comb being composed of a double 



Fig. 731. 



Fig. 732. 



Fig. 731. — Ventral aspect of abdomen of worker honey-bee, showing wax-plates. (Three 



times natural size.) 

 Fig. 732. — Wax-plate from ventral aspect of abdomen of honey-bee. (Much enlarged.) 



laver of these cells, a common partition serving as base or bottom of each 

 tier. Although most bee books speak rather glibly of the comb-building 

 operations, it is still undetermined whether the wax-producers leave the cur- 

 tain and carry their own wax to the new comb and help mould it, or whether 



Fig. 



;. — lioncy-bccs building (.Tjnib. (.\ilcr Bcnum.) 



the scales are taken away by other (builcUng) workers, or whether they are 

 nipped off with the wax-shears (Fig. 7,;4) of the hind legs, and if so, whether 

 by the wax-maker or a helper or builder, or whether they fall off to the hot- 



