48 
THE ABDOMEN. 
are seen white in the illustration, and we shall go into 
a description of them more fully when treating of the 
wax organs. The exposed part of each plate is covered 
with feathered hairs, which gra- 
dually diminish in length towards 
the end. 
^ The queen, whose abdomen 
is longer than that of the worker, 
^ has also six segments, but they 
are wider, and the ventral plates 
are devoid of the thin mem- 
branous surfaces of the worker. 
Likewise, instead of the feathered 
hairs, the plates are covered with 
very fine short hairs resembling 
down. 
The drone has seven rings, and the ventral plates 
are much narrower, nor have they the transparent 
membranes, but are provided with a few stronger 
feathered hairs. 
The first dorsal plate of the drone is also fringed 
with hair, and the fifth and sixth plates are covered 
with very long hairs. The abdomen of the drone is 
also much longer than that of the worker. 
Fig. 22. 
Abdomen of Worker. 
