6r, manuai, of the apiary. S05 



red. A central band of black divides the red spaces of the 

 abdomen. The entire under part of the body and all the mem- 

 bers are black. There are several species of varying size and 

 color in California. Grayish white species are nearly as com- 

 mon as the red and black ones. Some are as large as a 

 worker-bee. 



So hard and dense is the chitinous crust of these insects 

 that they enter the hives fearlessly, and, unmindful of stings, 



Fig, 290. 



CovB-Eiller. — Origitial. 



deliberately kill the bees and feed on the young. The males 

 are said to sting. This is certainly a mistake. The sting is a 

 modified ovipositor— an organ not possessed by males. These 

 insects belong to the family Mutillidas, so called because the 

 females are wingless. They are closely allied in structure to 

 the ants, which they much resemble. 



THE PRAYING MANTIS. 



This strange insect I have received from Indiana and other 

 Southern and Western States. Its scientific name is Mantis 

 Carolina, Linn. A similar species I often take in Los Angeles 

 County, Calif. It is very predaceous, and the female has been 

 known to eat up her mate immediately after the sexual act. 

 No wonder that they make our friends of the hive contribute 

 to their support. This insect (Fig. 291) is a sort of nonde- 

 script. In the South it is known as devil's race-horse. It is a 

 corpulent "walking-stick" with wings. In fact, is closely 

 related to the " walking-sticks " of the North. Its anterior 

 legs are very curious. As it rests upon them, it appears as if 

 in the attitude of devotion, hence the name, praying mantis. 

 It also raises these anterior legs in a supplicating attitude, 



