THE FIRST PAIR OF LEGS
The first pair of legs, or those nearest the head, are the shortest
of all. The most interesting feature about these legs is a little
semi-circular notch, and I have made this sketch of it.
[Illustration]
Under the microscope we see that around the semi-circular opening is
a row of about eighty teeth. These are not biting teeth, but are more
like the teeth of a comb, and indeed this notch is a comb which is
used for cleaning the antennæ. You may sometimes see a bee bring up
its front leg to its head, and then move the leg outwards. By this
movement the antenna is drawn into, and through the comb, the teeth of
which soon remove any dirt or pollen which may be sticking to it. Just
above the antenna comb, there is a kind of little hinge or lid. This is
called the “velum,” and its name comes from a Latin word meaning “to
cover,” for the lid covers the antenna when it is drawn into the comb,
and holds it there whilst it is being pulled through. When we know that
each antenna is only 1/125th of an inch in diameter, we can understand
what a wonderful little tool the comb is.
When we mention a comb, we generally think of a brush too, so it is
interesting to find that the front leg of a bee has two brushes, which
are shown in the sketch. The first of these is used for cleaning the
comb after the antenna has been passed through it. The other keeps the
hairs of the eye free from pollen.
[Illustration: PLATE X
(_a_)
From a photo-micrograph by] [E. Hawks
Hind Leg of Bee (showing Wax Pincers)
(_b_)
From a photo-micrograph by] [E. Hawks
Wax Pincers on Hind Leg]