12 MANUAL or THE APIARY. 



matioiis are said to be incomplete, that is the larva, pupa, and imago differ little 

 except in size, and that the latter possesses wings. 



SUB-OEDEE OF THE HONEY BEE. 



The honey bee belongs to the sub-order Hymenoptera, which also includes 

 the wasps, ants, ichneumon-flies and saw-flies. This group contains insects 

 which possess a tongue by which they may suck (see Fig. 12 a), and strong 

 jms (see Fig. 12 c) for biting. Thus the bees can sip the honeyed sweets of 

 flowers, and also gnaw away mutilated comb. They have, besides, four wings, 

 and undergo complete transformations. 



FAMILY OF THE HONEY BEE. 



The honey bee belongs to the family Apidse. Insects of this family have 

 robust bodies, usually very hairy, large heads, prominent eyes, — which in the 

 males meet above, — elbowed antenna3, and very long tongues. Many of these 

 are social, and besides the true females, every colony possesses those with abor- 

 tive ovaries, which are called neuters or workers. This group includes the 

 wax-secreting bees, and the humble-bees, which do not build wax cells, but 

 simply lay their eggs in the pollen masses, and the larvie, by feeding on the 

 pollen, hollow out egg-shaped cavities, which become the honey cells. Thus 

 some larv83 feed only on pollen. Others of this family are solitary, like the 

 carpenter bee, which bores in wood ; the sand-bee, which digs in the earth ; and 

 the tailor bee, which cuts those regular pieces, circular or oblong, from our 

 rose-leaves or rose-petals, and from which it forms its wonderful thimble-shaped 

 cells. Thus we see that all the insects of this family possess strange instincts, 

 and habits so curious that few subjects of study yield more real pleasure and 



gratification. 



GENUS OF THE HONEY-BEE. 



The genus Apis is characterized by the peculiar stracture of the mouth- 

 parts and the venation of the wings. But to particularize would lead me too 

 deeply into the details of structure. 



SPECIES OF THE HONEY-BEE. 



The scientific name of the honey-bee is Apis mellifica, and the species will 

 be fully described as we proceed to explain its natural history and habits. The 

 races of the honey-bee will also be more appropriately considered in the sequel. 



