176 THE HONEY-BEE. 



Bees (Anthophila). 



The last division of the Aculeate Hymenoptera are the An- 

 fJwjihila or Bees, including the genera Halirlus, Andrena, Bom- 

 bus, a,nd Apis. These have an elongated mouth, the maxillieand 

 lower lip forming the so-called " tongue " of the hee. The fore 

 wings are never folded together longitudinally when at rest. 

 ]Most are colonial in habits, and in some there is a distinct caste 

 of workers, as in the hive-bee. The nests are made up of cells, 

 and are very variable. The genus Anilrena make their nests in 

 sandy banks generally, some of wood, others of sand ; and 

 the A/ii'lc of wax. In the colonial forms only one queen in- 

 liabits each nest. Some cells are set aside for the brood, others 

 for .storing up pollen and honey. The genus Xomada or the 

 (Juckoo-bees are non-colonial, and live as piira.sites in other bee- 

 nests. The Andrenas have no worker form ; for they also are 

 non-colonial, but n(;vfrtheless gregarious. 



Bijinhi, or Humble-bees, large, heavy, hairy specie.';, are use- 

 ful as fertilisers of plants: without their aid red clover cannot 

 seed. In New Zealand red and other clovers were imported, 

 and sown as a forage crop ; but they never seeded until Bombi 

 were also imported. The long tongue is the active agent in 

 tliis cross-fertilisation. 



TJie Huncii-hi'i- and /'fa Relatiuiii:. 



Our Honey-bee is scientifically called Ajnc melllfica. It be- 

 longs to the last genus of Aculeate Hymenoptera, namely, Apis, 

 the species of which are characterised by the absence of tibial 

 spurs on the posterior legs, and by the presence of three cubical 

 cells. All the members of this genus are permanently social. 

 There are several well-known species of Apis, as well as a great 

 number of local varieties of A. wellifia,., which has been°dis- 

 tributed over the earth by man. Our common honey-bee {A. 

 mclhfva) IS a native of Europe, Africa, and Western Asia 



