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CHAPTER VI. 



ORDER HYMEXOPTERA: ACULEATA, OR STINGING HYMENOPTERA. 



Characters The Prothorax The Membranous Wings The Ovipositor, or "Sting" Internal Structure Habits Larvje 

 Intelligence of the Hymenopteia Their Social Organisation Workers, or "Neuters" The Sexes The Humming of 

 the Bee Species of Hymenoptera Fossil Kemains -Classification ACULEATA, OR STINGING HYMENOPTERA 

 APIARI.E, or BEES Characters THE HIVE BEE The " Hive " Arrangement of Cells Intelligence evinced by 

 the Bees The Secretion of Wax Construction of the Cells Deposition of Eggs Transformations of the Bee 

 The Workers Bees in Winter The "Royal "Cell Swarming Formation of a New Hive Behaviour of the Young 

 Queen The Cases of Limited Fertility HUMBLE BEES Habits -Apathus vastaUs The Solitary Bees THE VIOLET 

 CARPENTER BEE Gnawing-out and Excavation of the Nest THE MASOX BEE Its Cell The Genus Osmia The 

 Leaf -cutting Bees The Cuckoo Bees The Andrcnidcc VESPID^E, OR WASPS -- Characters - Cells Beauty of Work- 

 manship Mr. F. Smith's Account of the Founders of a Wasp Colony Nests of the Common Wasp and of the 

 Hornet The Nests of other Species The Solitary Wasps The Wall Wasp THE CRABRONID^E The Sand Wasps 

 THE POMPILID.E - THE SAPYGID^S THE MI'TLLLIU.E THE FORMICID.E, OR ANTS -Characters The Nests The 

 Metamorphosis - The Workers Milking the Aphides Charge of the Young Habits Intelligence The Wood Ant 

 Other Species THE CHRYSIDID.E, OR GOLDEN WASPS. 



THE Hymenoptera, which we have placed as the second order of insects Avith a complete metamor- 

 phosis, differ in many important respects from the Coleoptera. Perhaps the most striking external 

 distinction is to be found in the structure of the wings, both pairs of which are membranous, as 

 indicated in the name given to the order by Linnaeus, which must be taken to signify " membrane- 

 winged," although, as will be seen hereafter, this texture of the wings is by no means peculiar to 

 the Hymenoptera ; and another peculiarity of equal importance, although less immediately obvious, is 

 the condition of the prothorax, which, instead of forming a 

 comparatively large piece, moving freely in front of the 

 other two segments of the thorax, is reduced to a sort of 

 ring, and firmly attached to the succeeding segments, either 

 by a great part of its hinder surface or at least by the 

 upper portion. This reduced prothorax is often called the 

 collar, and its condition in the Hymenoptera may be 

 regarded as indicating a certain degree of relationship to 

 the haustellate orders of the Metabola, the Lepidoptera, 

 and Diptera. In the Bees, which belong to the present 

 order, the parts of the mouth undergo modifications tending 

 in a similar direction. 



In general, the Hymenoptera may be described as four- 

 winged Flies, having the head very freely attached to the 



thorax, the prothorax reduced, and attached to the meso- TAILED WASP 



thorax as just described ; the other two thoracic segments 



very closely amalgamated (although in one great group this character is not presented) ; the abdomen 

 ovate, elliptical, or much elongated, composed of segments, the hinder margins of which overlap the 

 base of the succeeding segments, while the lateral margins of the dorsal plates in like manner overlap 

 those of the ventral plates. This arrangement gives great freedom of expansion in respiration, and 

 the movements of the abdomen for the performance of this function are generally more conspicuous 

 in the Hymenoptera than in any other insects. The female is nearly always provided with a sting 

 or an. ovipositor issuing from the abdomen. 



The head, which is joined to the thorax by a thin neck, bears on its upper surface a pair cf 

 antennae, a pair of compound eyes, usually of considerable size, and sometimes very large, and three 

 simple eyes, or ocelli (see Fig. 4, p. 284). Of these organs the antennae alone need to have a few 

 words said of them. They are frequently long organs, composed of a number of similar joints, and 

 either quite thread-like, or tapering, or clubbed towards the end ; but in certain families they consist 

 of a long basal joint (called the scape], followed by a comparatively small number of shorter joints, 

 forming a sort of lash, which is generally bent at an angle to the first joint. Such antennae are called 

 geniculate (see Fig. 5, B, p. 284). 



Of the parts of the mouth, the mandibles are always freely articulated and adapted for biting 

 purposes, but the other organs may undergo considerable modifications. In general, they present the 

 ordinary structure of the biting mouth, but their articulation is usually very free, enabling them to be 

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