INSECTA : HYMENOPTERA 



365 



from the lower lip (labium) and the soft jaws (maxillae). 

 The parts of the proboscis are shown spread out in Fig. 289 ; 

 the maxillae form together the outer 

 horny sheath, and the labium its 

 central portion which consists of 

 the long hairy tongue or ligula, 

 lying in a trough-like lower sheath 

 formed by the labial palps (the 

 maxillae and the two palps are arti- 

 ficially separated in Fig. 289). The 

 free tip of the tongue is a little 

 spoon-like structure ; with this the 



nectar of flowers is 



lapped up, the hairs 



of the tongue get 



soaked in the fluid 



which is then sucked 



up by the surround- 

 ing tube and passed 



into the mouth. 



The mouth - parts 



are therefore modified 

 FIG. 290. Head i n the bee for two 

 seen from the ( l u ^ e separate func- 

 side, with the tions, the mandibles 



chiefly for constructive work in forming the 



honey - comb, the maxillae and labium for 



obtaining food. 



The thorax, which lies behind the head, con- 

 sists of the usual three segments, with also an 

 abdominal segment fused with them as explained on p. 362. 

 Each thoracic segment bears below a pair of jointed legs, and 

 the second and third segments bear also, attached to their 

 upper surface, a pair of delicate, transparent wings. 



The wings are held together so closely that at first 

 sight there appears to be only one on each side. If, they 

 are separated from the body of a dead bee, and examined 

 under the microscope, the method by which this union is 

 maintained can be seen. The front margin of each back 

 wing bears a row of little hooks (Fig. 291), which catch in a 

 groove on the hind margin of the front wings, so that when 



FIG. 289. The Head of the 

 Honey Bee seen from in 

 front, with the Proboscis 

 extended and its parts 

 spread out. 



a, Antenna ; mnd, mandible ; 

 mx, maxilla ; Ip, labial 

 palp ; I, ligula. 



Proboscis, t, 

 turned back 

 below the head. 



The Thorax. 



