THE ACULEATE-HYMENOPTERA OF 

 GUERNSEY. 



BY MR. W. A. LUFF. 



The order Hymenoptera contains many insects of greatly 

 diverse structure and habits. It includes the Ants, Wasps, 

 Bees, Ichneumon Flies, Saw Flies, Gall Flies and their allies. 

 They may be known from other insects by their mouths 

 being mandibulate, or formed for biting, their four membran- 

 ous wings with branching nerves, enclosing a few large-sized 

 cells, and by the form of the thorax, all the segments of which 

 are exhibited dorsally. 



The British Hymenoptera alone number more than 4,000 

 species, and of these about 400 only belong to the Aculeata. 



The Aculeata are the highest section of the order, and 

 comprise the Ants, Wasps and Bees. They are, indeed, by 

 far the most intelligent of the whole insect race. Who has 

 not heard of the industry of the Ant and the Bee ? These 

 insects have been mentioned by the poets and philosophers 

 of all ages. Solomon says : " Go to the ant thou sluggard, 

 consider her ways and be wise." Shakespeare, in his play of 

 " Henry V.", shows how well he was acquainted with the 

 natural history and habits of the domestic bee, by describing 

 the economy of the hive and comparing it to the polity of a 

 populous kingdom under monarchical government. In our 

 own times, Sir John Lubbock, a well-known naturalist and 

 philosopher, has spent many years in the investigation and 

 life history of these insects, and as the result of his experi- 

 ments, has come to the conclusion that they are possessed 

 of something more than instinct, their knowledge and fore- 

 thought being more akin to reason. 



The Heterogyna or Ants nearly all form communities 

 consisting of males, females and neuters, or workers. The 

 males and females are winged and the workers apterous. 

 They make their nests in various ways. Formica rufa, our 

 largest species, forms large dome-shaped nests on or near the 

 cliffs of our southern coast. These nests are composed of bits 

 of furze, leaves, grass stems, &c., and well-worn paths leading 

 to them may be noticed amongst the surrounding herbage. 



