4-H CLUB INSECT MANUAL 



35 



Figure 87. — Parasitic wasp. 



rather deeply into the wood to parasitize the larva of the pigeon 



horntail. There are many more insects 



in this group, but they have much 

 shorter egg-laying appendages. This 

 insect has complete life changes, as do 

 all other Hymenoptera. 



Parasitic" wasps. — Another of the 

 group Hymenoptera or wasplike insects 

 is Ephialtes pedalis. It is a parasite of 

 other insects and therefore may be con- 

 sidered beneficial. This insect is about 

 one-half inch long, black, with four 

 clear wings. The legs are brownish 

 red except for the hind tibiae and 

 tarsi, which are black. The tibiae and 

 tarsi are the joints of the legs far- 

 thest removed from the body. The mouth parts are fitted for chewing. 

 This insect overwinters as a larva in the pupa of the moths, upon 

 which the larva feeds. As with all other wasps, the life changes 

 are complete. 



Ants. — Many interesting hours have been spent by people in watch- 

 ing and studying the activities of the ants, and many books have 

 been written about them. Ants are social insects 

 and live in colonies as do the bees, which belong 

 also to the order Hymenoptera. They vary con- 

 siderably in size, but all have three distinct body 

 regions. They are wingless except at swarming 

 time. The swarming forms have four clear wings 

 which they lose soon after they establish their 

 new quarters. Ants have chewing mouth parts. 

 They have complete life changes. The partic- 

 ular species shown here is the black carpenter 

 ant (Oamponotus herculeanus pennsylv aniens) . 

 It is about three-eighths of an inch long. It 

 builds its nest in decaying wood of various kinds, 

 and sometimes in sound wood. The adults hiber- 

 nate in the nest. This ant is sometimes injurious 

 to timbers in buildings, and is also annoying in the household, getting 

 into sweet-flavored material, on which it feeds. It can be controlled 

 by locating the nest and fumigating or by using poisoned sweets. 



Honeybees.— It is doubtful that man has probed into the private 

 life of any other insect as much as he has into the life of the honeybee. 

 Perhaps one reason for this is that the honeybee has 

 been known for centuries and has been the only insect 

 to provide a natural sweet. Beeswax has been used 

 for a long time in the preparation of various house- 

 hold articles. In more recent years honeybees have 

 been found to be important factors in the pollination 

 of blossoms, which is essential to seed and fruit pro- 

 duction. Honeybees are social insects and live in col- 

 onies. There are several races. The workers are about 



Figure 



Figure 89.- 

 Honeybee. 



five-eighths of an inch long and usually dark brown in 



color. Like other Hymenoptera, they have four wings and the adults 



fly readily. The mouth parts of the adults are modified for sucking 



