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who were fully grown there would be trouble about 

 making them work in a strange place. 



"What are the larvae?" asked Nipper, for 

 everything was still new to her. 



" Well, you see, before ants are really ants they 

 are eggs," explained Riddler. " That is at the 

 very first. 



" These eggs are laid by the queen generally, 

 though sometimes the others lay eggs too. 



" Out of these eggs are hatched the little larvae or 

 grubs as they are called. These larvae have no legs 

 or antennae ; they are white and soft, and very 

 helpless, and have to be fed and taken care of by 

 the workers. 



Ants feeding Larvae 



" After a time these larvae or grubs spin cocoons, 

 or else a little shell hardens around them, and there 

 they lie sheltered and safe while they slowly turn 

 into ants. 



" Then when at last they make holes in the co- 

 coon and are drawn forth they are no longer help- 



