INSECTS 



221 



they have not been in any respect organized, as have the 

 different parts of higher animals. This simple animal, 

 as has already been seen, is an untiring worker in prepar- 

 ing and fertilizing soil for plants, and thus is a most 

 efficient helper to man. 



104. Insects. Experiment 114. Procure a bumble-bee or honey- 

 bee, as a type insect, and inclose it in a small glass-covered box. Into 

 how many parts is the body divided? Describe these parts. To 

 which part are the legs attached ? The wings ? How many legs are 

 there? How many wings? Notice the largest part into which the 

 body is divided. Notice the eyes and the feelers, or antennce, on the 

 head. Write a short description of the general characteristics of the 

 bee's body. 



The insects are among the most important of animals. 

 This class contains more 

 than half the known 

 animal species. They 

 are spread widely over 

 all parts of the earth. 



Both good and bad in- 

 sects abound. Econom- 

 ically, they furnish mil- 

 lions upon millions of 

 dollars worth of prod- 

 uce every year and on 

 the other hand destroy 

 hundreds of millions of 

 dollars worth of crops 

 and trees. It has been 

 estimated that in the 

 United States insects de- 



BUTTEBFLIES ON ALFALFA. 



stroy every year crops 



and trees which have a value of $50,000,000, to say 



nothing of the countless losses due to diseases spread by 



