Suborders
- Symphyta – Primitive hymenopterans without a “wasp waist”, with phytophagous larvae (e.g., sawflies, cimbicids)
- Apocrita – Hymenopterans with a “wasp waist”, highly diverse, including:
- Bees
- Wasps (social, solitary, parasitic)
- Ants
Characteristics
- Two pairs of membranous wings (hindwings smaller and coupled to forewings with hooks)
- Chewing-lapping or sucking mouthparts
- Well-developed antennae, often elbowed in Apocrita
- Ovipositor modified into a stinger in wasps and bees (in females)
- Complete metamorphosis (holometabolous)
Habitat
Hymenoptera colonize almost all terrestrial habitats:
- Forests, meadows, agricultural areas, urban environments
- Soil, plant or animal cavities, deadwood, man-made structures
- Flowers, leaf litter, tree trunks, fruits, foliage, etc.
Biology
- Pollinators (bees, some wasps)
- Parasitoids (ichneumons, braconids, chalcids…)
- Predators (digger wasps, vespids)
- Phytophagous (sawflies, cimbicids)
- Saprophagous or mutualistic (some ants, social wasps)
Notable Families
- Apidae (bees)
- Vespidae (social and solitary wasps)
- Formicidae (ants)
- Ichneumonidae, Braconidae (parasitoids)
- Chrysididae (cuckoo wasps)
- Tenthredinidae, Cimbicidae (Symphyta)
- Sphecidae, Scoliidae, Pompilidae, Tiphiidae (predators or parasitoids)
Distinctive Features
- Complex social behavior in many families (bees, ants, wasps)
- Advanced chemical communication (especially in ants)
- Exceptional diversity of reproductive and feeding strategies
- Major economic and ecological importance (pollination, pest regulation…)
The Order Hymenoptera
The Order Hymenoptera includes sawflies, wasps, hornets, ants, and bees.
Characteristics:
- Wings: Two pairs of membranous wings, coupled by small hooks (hamuli)
- Mouthparts: chewing-lapping (in bees) or chewing (in ants and some wasps)
- Holometabolous: complete metamorphosis with egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages
- Abdomen: often connected to the thorax by a petiole in Apocrita (e.g., ants, parasitoid wasps), absent in Symphyta
Hymenoptera Families Encountered:
Suborder Apocrita
This suborder includes hymenopterans with a petiole, the thin structure connecting the thorax to the abdomen, forming the wasp waist.
Superfamilies of Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera Families
Suborder Symphyta
Characterized by the absence of a petiole (the narrow connection between thorax and abdomen, forming the “wasp waist”), they are often mistaken for flies. Their larvae resemble caterpillars and are phytophagous.
