37O ARTICULATES : INSECTS. 



are soft, maggot-like, and destitute of legs. Some of the 

 piercers have this form, but others more nearly resemble 

 grubs and caterpillars. Nearly all of the larvae spin silken 

 cocoons, in which they undergo their transformations. 

 The Hymenoptera are all diurnal, fly swiftly, and in the 

 number and variety of their instincts they surpass all 

 other insects. The number of species is very great. 

 None are aquatic. The families are arranged in this 

 work according ,to the classification proposed by A. S. 

 Packard, Jr.* It is the reverse,* with several alterations, 

 of the classification by Latreille. 



APIARLE, Latr., OR BEE FAMILY. This Family com- 

 prises hymenoptera which have the body densely hirsute, 

 the mouth-parts lengthened and partially united to form 

 a sort of proboscis that can be folded up under the head, 

 and the first joint of the two hind legs often very large, 

 flattened, and fitted for collecting and carrying the pollen 

 of flowers. With some exception they are eminently 

 social in their habits, and the species often consist of 

 males or drones, females or queens, and imperfect females 



Fig- 272. Fig. 273. Fig. 274. 



Queen. Drone. Worker. 



Hive-Bee, A . mellijica., Linn. 



or workers. The last are smaller than the others, and 

 are often improperly called neuters. 



The Genus Apis contains the Hive-Bees. The Com- 

 mon Hive-Bee, A. mellifica, Linn., is known by every 

 one. In a single community of this bee there are at least 



* "How to Observe and Collect Insects." Maine Scientific Surve>' 

 Report for 1862. 



