50 
IMPORTANT AND FAMILIAR INSECTS 
Trochanter 
Tarsus 
Wax 
pincers 
Figure 39 B. 
blossoms, lindens, white 
clover, and sweet clover. 
It is too short to get nectar 
from red clover blossoms. 
The mandibles are adapted 
to gathering propolis from 
buds, also for kneading the 
wax and for polishing 
surfaces. The wings are 
adaptations for the partic¬ 
ular life of the honey-bee. 
In the first place they are 
small, and are not likely to 
be injured when the bees 
are packed closely together 
as in swarm clusters. 
Then, to compensate 
for the small size, they 
are vibrated with great 
rapidity to carry the 
bees through the air 
with a load of nectar 
and pollen. Sometimes 
they vibrate 440 times 
per second. 
The last pair of legs 
is adapted not to jump¬ 
ing, as in a grass¬ 
hopper, but for carrying 
loads of pollen and prop¬ 
olis. These legs are 
flat and thin and pro¬ 
vided with bristles to 
keep the load from slid¬ 
ing off. 
Inner surface of left hind leg 
of worker 
