194 OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CLASS — INSECTA 



ohluiig pieces from I'ose leaves and builds a short tube at the 

 bottom of the tunnel. The bee then hlls the tube partly 

 full of a pasty mass of nectar and p^ollen and lays an egg 

 on top. After the egg is laid, the bee cuts circular pieces 



from the rose leaves' 

 which are a little larger 

 than the diameter of the 

 tube, and pushes them 

 into the mouth of the 

 tube, completely stop- 

 ping it. In this way the 

 tube is filled with short 

 c}'lindrical cells, each 

 containing an egg (Fig. 

 141). 



Adaptations of insects 

 to their environments. 

 — Perhaps among no 

 other group of animals 

 can there be found so 

 many and so varied 

 adaptations to meet the 



Fig. 140 -Leaf-cutter bee and rose leaf SUrroUUtling conditions 



fiJt by it. as among the insects. 



Dragon flies live mainly on mosquitoes, gnats, and other 

 small insects caught in the air while on the wing. The 

 long, strong wings of the dragon flies and the large eyes 

 with which they can see on all sides are distinct adaptations 

 for catching these insects. The nymphs of the dragon 

 flies live in the water and are furnished with gills to atlapt 

 them to such a life. 



The bee's hind legs arc furnished with thick rows of long 



