Wasps, Bees, and Ants 
5 35 
the sting is rudimentary, short and blunted, and no longer a weapon. The 
mandibles are relied on by the stingless ants as means of defence and offence. 
An ant species always includes at least three kinds of individuals, as a 
social wasp or bee species does, and may include several more (Fig. 738). 
There are always winged males, 
which die soon after their issu¬ 
ance from the nest to take part 
in the mating-flight swarm, and 
winged females, or queens, which 
pull off their wings immediately 
after this flight. Thus winged 
ants are to be seen only at cer¬ 
tain seasons of the year, the 
fertile females when found in 
the nest being almost always in Fig . 73 8.—A California black ant, species un- 
wingless condition. In addition determined, showing winged forms and wing- 
, ,1 . 1 • t • i 1 11 less worker. (After Jordan and Kellogg: 
to the winged individuals there twice natural size v } 
are wingless workers which are 
infertile females, i.e., with rudimentary egg-glands and lacking also the 
spermatheca. These workers in many species, probably most, are of two 
sizes, worker minors and worker majors; the two are not wholly distinct, 
Fig. 739.—Soldier (a) and worker (c) of Pheidole lamia; b, head of soldier in profile. 
(After Wheeler; much enlarged.) 
Fig. 740. —Male (a) and ergatoid female (&) of Tomognathus subloevis. (After Wheeler; 
much enlarged.) 
however, as intermediate sizes are occasionally to be noted. In addition 
there may exist workers with extra-large heads and jaws which are known 
as soldiers (Fig. 739), but also between these and ordinary workers interme- 
