Ants, bees, and wasps : a record of observations on the habits of the social hymenoptera / by Sir John Lubbock (Lord Avebury).

  • Lubbock, John, Sir, 1834-1913.
Date:
1929
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Ants, bees, and wasps : a record of observations on the habits of the social hymenoptera / by Sir John Lubbock (Lord Avebury). Source: Wellcome Collection.

    27/420 (page 1)
    ANTS, BEES, AND WASPS CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The Anthropoid apes no doubt approach nearer to man in bodily structure than do any other animals ; but when we consider the habits of Ants, their social organiza- tion, their large communities, and elaborate habitations ; their roadways, their possession of domestic animals, and even, in some cases, of slaves, it must be admitted that they have a fair claim to rank next to man 1 in the scale of intelligence. They present, moreover, not only a most interesting, but also a very extensive field of study. Ants are divided into three families : the Formicidse, Poneridae, and Myrmicidae, comprising many genera and a large number of species.2 In this country we have rather more than thirty kinds ; but ants become more numerous in species, as well as individuals, in warmer countries, and more than a thousand species are known.3 Even this large number is certainly far short of those actually in existence.* I have kept in captivity about half of our British species of ants, as well as a considerable number of foreign forms, and for the last few years have generally had from thirty to forty communities under observation. * I have had some doubt whether I should append descriptions of the British species. On the whole, however, I have not thought it necessary to do so. They are well given in various entomological works : for instance, in Smith’s Cat. of British Fossorial Hymenoptera, published by the Trustees of the British Museum ; Saunders’ “ Synopsis of British Heterogyna ”, Trans. Entomological Soc. London ; and in Mayr’s Die Europ. Formiciden, all of which are cheap and easily procurable. I have, however, given figures of the principal species with which I have worked. [See reading-list.—Ed.]