BRANCH ARTHROPOD A; CLASS IN SECT A : THE INSECTS 221 



unfit place for passing the winter, and in the following 

 spring each young queen founds a new colony. Thus 

 there is a tendency towards a great multiplication of 

 colonies. But with the honey-bee the habit of storing 

 food for winter, and the nature of the habitations of these 

 insects, render it possible for the colonies to exist in- 

 definitely, and thus if the old and young queens remained 

 together peacefully there would be no multiplication of 

 colonies and the species would surely die out in time. 



FIG. 82. Honey-bees building comb. (From Benton.) 



We see, therefore, that what appears to be merely 

 jealousy on the part of the queen honey-bee is an instinct 

 necessary to the continuance of the species." 



For the special labors of gathering food, making wax, 

 building cells, etc., the \vorkers are provided wit'i special 

 structures, as the pollen-baskets on the outer surface 

 of the widened tibia of the hind legs, the wax-shears 

 between the tibia and first tarsal joint of the hind legs, 

 the wax-plates on the ventral surface of the abdomen, 

 etc. A great many interesting things connected with the 



