20 



HANDBOOK OF ANTS, BEES, ETC. 



The females have no apparatus for carrying pollen either on the 

 legs or on the abdomen. 



Section 2 . — Diploptera . 



Family 3, Vespidce. — The Social Wasps, which belong to this 

 family, are very well known everywhere in this country. In their 



Fig. 17. — Polistes Gallica. 



general structure they resemble the bees, but are usually much 

 more slender in appearance, and also much less hairy. 



The general habits of these wasps are pretty uniform except in 

 the matter of their architecture, and in this respect they display a 

 remarkable variety. 



Besides the common Wasp ( Vespa vulgaris) two other species 



Fig. 18.— Nest of Polistes Gallica. 



found in this country, which build their nests in the ground, 

 follow the same principles in the construction of their nests. 



The Hornet \Vespa crabo), which is remarkable for its large 

 size, usually builds its nest in the hollow of a tree. Both the 

 hornet and common wasp sometimes build their nests under the 

 eaves of houses or attached to a beam under the roof; and in 



