74 INSECTS. 



indicate high or low rank in the insect's instinctive 

 endowments*? 



Compare together all the Hymenoptera studied. 



Which eat animal food? Which vegetable? Which both? 



Which live in the largest colonies ? 



Which show the highest instincts in the construction of 

 their nests ? In the care of their young ? In the division 

 of labor in the colony ? 



Which are the best walkers? Which are swiftest of 

 flight? 



Which are of most importance to man? 



Compare as to the relative development of all the parts. 



If the paper wasp bites wood, and the honeybee bites 

 nothing harder than wax, which should you expect would 

 have the stronger mandibles? Is it so in fact? Have 

 you discovered that there is a similarly close relation 

 between the structure of all organs and the work they 

 have to do? 



THE BLACK BLISTER BEETLE. 



(Epicauta.) 



Haunts. This beetle is very common in autumn, and 

 is very easily collectible. It will answer well for class 

 use, though a larger species, if avail- 

 able, might be more satisfactory for 

 a first examination. It is narrowly 

 oblong in outline, uniform jet black 

 in color, and is found on the flower 

 clusters of goldenrod, thorough- 

 wort, and ragweed, and not infre- 

 quently on the vines of potato, 



tomato, and clematis. In some local- 

 BLACK BLISTER BEETLE . . , . , , , , , 



x 2. ities this beetle is replaced by re- 



