The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 06 (of 10)Sharp, David
Science
The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 06 (of 10)
Sharp, David
Animals
The queen-bee greatly resembles the worker, but has the hind body more
elongated; she can, however, always be distinguished from the worker by the
absence of the beautiful transverse, comb-like series of hairs on the inner
side of the first joint of the hind foot, the planta, as it is called by
the bee-keeper: she has also no wax plates and differs in important
anatomical peculiarities. The male bee or drone is very different, being of
much broader, more robust build, and with very large eyes that quite meet
in the middle of the upper part of the head: he also has the hind leg
differently shaped. The form of this limb enables the male of _A.
mellifica_ to be distinguished from the corresponding sex of allied species
of the genus.
[Illustration: Fig. 25.—Portions of hind-feet, 1, of male, 2, of worker, 3,
of queen, of the honey-bee; series on the left, outer faces; on the right,
inner faces. _a_, Tip of tibia: _b_, first joint; _c_, second joint of
tarsus.]
We are indebted to Horne for some particulars as to the habits of _A.
dorsata_, an allied East Indian species. He informs us that these bees
greatly disfigure buildings, such as the Taj Mahal at Agra, by attaching
their pendent combs to the marble arches, and are so pertinacious that it
is almost useless to destroy the nests. This bee is said to be so savage in
its disposition that it cannot be domesticated; it attacks the sparingly
clad Hindoos {70}with great ferocity when they disturb its nest.
Notwithstanding its inclination and power to defend its societies this
Insect appears to be destroyed wholesale. Colonel Ramsay failed to
establish hives of it, because the Insects were eaten up by lizards. The
crested honey-buzzard carries off large portions of the comb, and devours
it on a branch of some tree near by, quite regardless of the stings of the
bees; while the fondness of bears for the honey of the "Dingar," as this
species is called, is well known.
Note to P. 33: It has just been discovered that a most remarkable
symbiosis, with structural modification of the bee, exists between the
females of _Xylocopa_, of the Oriental sub-genus _Koptorthosoma_, and
certain Acarids. A special chamber, with a small orifice for entry,
exists in the abdomen of the bee, and in this the Acari are lodged.—See
Perkins, _Ent. Mag._ xxxv. 1899, p. 37.
Note to P. 80: referring to the habits of social wasps in warm countries.
The anticipation we ventured to indulge in is shown to be correct by the
recent observations of Von Ihering.[39] He states that social wasps in
Brazil may be divided into two great groups by their habits, viz. 1.
Summer communities, lasting for one year, and founded annually by
fertilised females that have hibernated—example, _Polistes_; 2. Perennial
communities, founded by swarms after the fashion of bee
colonies—examples, _Polybia_, _Chartergus_.
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