RHIPIPTERA. DIPTERA. 57 



special destination for the larvse of females. When the number 

 of these chambers is too small, and the female deposits several 

 eggs in the same cell, the workers soon perceive it, and destroy 

 them all except one. Three days after laying, those workers who 

 have not contributed to the construction of the comb, but have 

 collected pollen and honey to be deposited in magazines con- 

 structed for the purpose, begin to discharge the duty of nurses to 

 the newly born larvse, bringing them several times daily a kind 

 of mixture varied according to the age and sex of those for 

 whom it is intended. This mixture is known under the name 

 of bee-bread. 



11. These larvse are completely apodous, without feet, and 

 resemble small worms ; six or seven days after birth, they pre- 

 pare for undergoing their metamorphosis, and the nurses then 

 enclose them in their cells, closing the latter with a cover of wax ; 

 they remain in the nympha or pupa state about eleven days, and 

 then disengage themselves and appear in the form of bees. When 

 the number of bees contained in the hive becomes too great to be 

 comfortably accommodated, a part of them, led by a female, 

 emigrate and found a new colony, .termed a swarm. 



Although the habits of bees are very interesting, our limits 

 require us to refer the reader for their history to some of the 

 several works specially treating of them. A very entertaining 

 and correct account of them is contained in the " Natural History 

 of Insects," published in Harper's Family Library. 



ORDER OF RHIPIP'TERA. 



12. The order of Rhipip'tera (from the Greek, ripis, a fan, 

 and pteron, wing) is composed of a small number of insects, 

 very remarkable on account of their habits and anomalous form. 

 They may be recognised by their two large membranous wings, 

 longitudinally folded like a fan. In the larva state they form a 

 little oval worm, without legs, and live among the scales of some 

 species of Hymenop'terse, as wasps, for example ; in the same 

 situation they change into the nympha state. 



ORDER OF DIP'TERA. 



13. The order of Dip'tera (from the Greek, dis, two, and 

 pt.eron, wing) is composed of insects that have only two wings, 

 which are membranous and extended (fig. 53). 



14. The general envelope of these insects is very thin and 



1 1 . What are the characters of the larvae of bees ? 



12. How is the order of Rhipip'tera recognised ? 



13. How is the order of Dip'tera recognised ? 



14. What are the characters of the Dip'tera ? 



