254 



ELEMENTARY ENTOMOLOGY 



not over one twenty-fifth of an inch long, and the smallest not 

 over one fifth that size. Most of them inhabit the eggs of insects, 

 though some - are secondary parasites ; that is, they are parasitic 

 on larger parasites, and thus are sometimes injurious. 



FIG. 403. The fig insect (Blastophaga grossorum), whose introduction has made 

 Smyrna fig culture possible in California. (Enlarged) 



a, adult female ; , head of same from below ; c, from side ; </, male fertilizing female ; c, 

 female issuing from gall ; /, adult male. (After Westwood, from Howard) 



SUBORDER II. THE STINGING HYMENOPTERA (ACULEATA) 



In the second suborder the female bears a well-developed sting 

 at the tip of the abdomen, which is effectively used as an organ of 

 offense. The trochanters of the hind-legs have but a single seg- 

 ment in all of the ants, wasps, and bees which form this suborder. 



1. THE ANTS (FORMICINA) 



A long chapter might well be devoted to these well-known in- 

 sects, for many interesting volumes have been written by some of 

 our greatest naturalists concerning their remarkable intelligence 

 and the highly developed organization of their society. 1 Every one 

 recognizes an ant, but the so-called white ants, or termites (Termi- 

 tidae, order Platyptera\ and the velvet ants (Mutillidae) may be 

 distinguished from them by the fact that the first segment of the 



1 See the most interesting monograph of Dr. W. M. Wheeler, "Ants," Colum- 

 bia Biological Series. 



