310 BEES AND WASPS 



little more abundant in the later part of July. They belong 

 to the Bcmhecidce. One of the large members of the family 

 is called the "cicada killer" Syhecius speciosus. 



Social wasps (Vespidce) make large nests and large colon- 

 ies and show some degree of differentiation into classes or 

 castes of individuals in that there may be smaller indi- 

 viduals at the end of the season which live through the 

 winter. 



The Hornet {Vespa maculata) builds up a large paper nest 

 which is made up of a series of combs with the aperture at 

 the lower part. This becomes very populous during the 

 latter part of summer. The survivors are adults that secrete 

 themselves under leaves and rubbish and start a fresh 

 colony the succeeding year. They do not live in the large 

 nest through the winter. This common species is social. 



The yellow jacket (Vespa germanica) is also a social 

 species, its nests are found in hollow trees. 



It is interesting to compare the materials used by these 

 species. They use wood or paper which is a pulp worked up 

 from the wood fiber and is to be compared with manufactured 

 paper in the tissue of which it is made and in the manner of 

 manipulation. 



In the bees, Apidce, there is an elongation of the beak for 

 getting the nectar from the flowers and the more specialized 

 forms secrete wax for the formation of the cells. This is 

 worked up into a gum or built into cells for the rearing of 

 the larvae. There is a gradual culmination in the develop- 

 ment of community life in this family from the wild bees that 

 are practically solitary up to the bumble bee and honey bee. 

 The honey bee is probably the best-known because kept 

 under domestication. A bee colony consists of a queen, which 

 is a constant factor in the colony-^a queenless colony can- 

 not survive any length of time — and drones or males which 

 occur during the summer. These are the normal-sexed indi- 

 viduals. Then we have the workers or neuter forms which 

 are undeveloped females and these carry on all of the com- 

 plex work of the colony, providing food, caring for the larvae 

 and for the rearing of new queens. 



