Ants Bees Wasps And Termites

An in-depth look at the lives and behavior of ants, bees, wasps and termites.

Preface: This book concerns the lives of those insects that live in colonies and whose activities center about the queen tended by her six-footed subjects. Included also are the various insects that are parasites and associates of our principal subjects, the bees, ants, wasps, and termites, as well as those that shed light on the origin and evolution of the colonial habits of these insects. We do not intend that this book should be considered a contribution to science; we hope rather that it will be an introduction to the behavior of social insects that will prove interesting to many and perhaps stimulate a few to learn more about these faxcinating creatures. Any of the groups of social insects would provide a worthwhile lifetime project for anyone wishing to enjoy an interesting study and at the same time make a valuable contribution to knowledge. It is scarcely necessary to point out that such a study might also serve a practical purpose, for many social insects are of great importance to man-we need mention only the pollination and nectar gathering of bees, the dissemination of pestiferous insects by ants, and the destruction of property by termites. We wish to thank the many persons who have provided us with photographic illustrations. Their names are mentioned elsewhere, but the time and trouble required for each photograph can scarcely be acknowledged. We wish also to mention those who stimulated us to write this book, the late Clyde Fisher and Dr. Mon A. Cazier.--Mary H. Michener, Charles D. Minchener--Lawrence, Kansas.

Bringing together for the first time prominent researchers in social insect pheromone communication, including nestmate recognition, this book looks at ants, wasps, bees, and termites, highlighting areas of convergence and divergence among these groups, and identifying areas that need further investigation. Presenting broad synthetic overviews as well as species-specific studies, the volume will be useful to natural scientists, ecologists, and those interested in pest management, as well as to anyone interested in the fascinating chemically mediated behavioral interactions of social insects.

Questions and answers explore the world of social insects, with an emphasis on ants.

Presents an introduction to ants, termites, bees, and wasps, discussing their life cycles, feeding habits, defense mechanisms, and impact on the environment.

Originally published in 1928, this volume, by a world authority on the subject, sums up our knowledge of the social insects. It inquires what are the social insects and what it is that makes us call them ‘social’. Terebrantia, aculeata, wasps, bees, ants, and termites are discussed in a succession of chapters, showing how they have evolved, to how great an extent they have developed, and what are the peculiarities of their evolution. Polymorphism, the Social Medium, Guests and Parasites of the Social Insects, are other subjects discussed in this fascinating book.