140 INSECTS HYMENOPTERA DIAGRAM 6. 



dead leaf, a cockchafer's wing, or even a whole cockchafer. In the 

 latter case several ants join in carrying so large a body ; some pull, 

 others push, and at last it arrives at the gate of the ant-hill. 

 If the gate is too^[narrow, other workers enlarge it to allow the 

 body of the cockchafer to pass, and it is afterwards reduced to 

 its former dimensions. 



The workers are entrusted with all the labour ; they build an d 

 repair the house, they take care of the eggs, and feed the larvse. 

 They also seek the honey of flowers, with which 

 they feed the white and almost motionless 

 larva*. Then, if the weather is fine and not too 

 hot or too cold, as these larvse cannot walk, they 

 bring them into the sun, and lay them on the 

 anthill. When a little rain falls, or they are 

 disturbed, they remove these larvse, which are 

 Worker Ant. larger than themselves, with their mandibles, 

 and descend into the interior. These larvse are generally called 

 ants' eggs. If we look at them, we shall [see the segments of 

 their body, and perceive that they are not eggs ; the eggs them- 

 selves are much smaller, and the ants only bring the larvae to the 

 sun when they are already large. 



The larvae spin a cocoon in which they undergo their meta- 

 morphosis, and when the time comes for them to emerge, the 

 other ants assist them, and afterwards arrange all the old empty 

 cocoons in a corner of the anthill. 



Ants are generally*courageous.^. When they are molested, or 

 an attempt is made to destroy their house, they rush out in great 

 agitation, and some try to drive away the enemy while others 

 repair the damage. When fighting, the ants rise on their hind 

 legs, and bring their abdomen forward, from which they discharge 

 small drops of a transparent and very acrid liquid at the 

 enemy. 



It often happens that an anthill is inhabited by two kinds of 

 workers, one large, and armed with strong mandibles, and the 

 others smaller. But it soon appears that the two kinds of 



