208 



AN- INTRODUCTION TO ZOOLOGY. 



many kinds of insect, especially caterpillars j the 

 ]arv33 feed on them, and become pupae in the body of 

 their host after they have killed it. 



The Ants, Formieidce, like the White Ants, live in 

 communities. The "■ workers " are wingless imperfect 

 females, and there are sometimes soldiers also, besides 

 the winged males. The complete females also have 

 wings at the pairing time, but lose them afterwards. 

 The industry, so much admired by Solomon, is not 



Fig. R2. - Wasp (Fespa vulgaris), and neefc cut open. 



the only proof of the intelligence of the Ant ; on the 

 contrary, some (the red ants) make slaves of others 

 (the black ones), and are very warlike in disposition, 

 but very lazy, making the slaves do all the work. As 

 already mentioned, they keep aphides for cows. The 

 ants have an acrid secretion, called formic acid, which 

 is a protection against their enemies. Many beetles 

 produce a similar fluid when frightened or annoyed. 

 The Wasps and Bees diSer from the Ants in having 



