Order Hymenoptera

Ants, Bees, Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Sawflies

Order Hymenoptera

The order contains bees, wasps, ants, parasitic wasps and sawflies

This order contains some of the most beneficial insects to humans

Many are plant pollinatorsMany more are predators and parasites

to insect pestsMany Hymenoptera are pests as wellThey cover a large range of habitats

Order Hymenoptera

Many insects in the order are flying insects

They have four flight wingsMany are also flightlessHymenoptera have both chewing

mouthparts and mouthparts suited to lapping up liquid foods

Order Hymenoptera

Some Hymenopterans cause damage to plants by cutting leaves for nesting materials

Many lay eggs into leaves or stems causing gall structures

There are very few controls for this type of damage

Order Hymenoptera

Most have fairly long antennaSome have an ovipositor that has

been developed into a stingIn some cases the sting is defensive In some cases it is offensive – used

for huntingOnly females possess stings

Order Hymenoptera

Hymenopterans undergo complete metamorphosis

Larvae tend to be grub-like or maggot-like

Sawfly larvae resemble Lepidoptera larvae – except….

They have more than 5 pair of prolegs without crochets

Larvae may pupate or form in a cocoon in parasitic species

Order Hymenoptera

Wasps, bees and ants exhibit “eusocial” behavior

Definition – eusocial behavior is a condition of group living in which there is cooperation among members in rearing young, reproductive division of labor, and overlapping generations

Order Hymenoptera

Sex of hymenopterans is controlled by fertilization of the egg

Fertilized eggs become femaleUnfertilized eggs become male

Bees and Wasps

Top row (left to right): bumble bee (Bombus sonorus), carpenter bee (Xylocopa californica arizonica). Bottom row (left to right): paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus aurifer), German yellowjacket (Vespula germanica), European honey bee (mix of several Apis mellifera subspecies), Africanized honey bee (Apis mellifera scutellata from Tucson, Arizona).

Family Apidae

Honey Bees

Family Apidae

The Honey BeeThis family is of extreme economic

importanceHoney and beeswax production is well in

excess of $500 million dollars annuallyTheir pollinating activities are worth 200

times that amount

Apis mellifera L.

Honey BeeIntroduced species from EuropeMost colonies inhabit man-made hivesColonies are perennialThe queen and workers overwinter in the hiveThe sex is largely controlled by fertilization of

the eggFood given to the larvae ultimately determines

the bee’s sex

Apis mellifera L.

Bees & Honeycomb

Subfamily Xylocopinae

Carpenter Bees

Subfamily Xylocopinae

Large Carpenter BeesFamily AnthophoridaeTo 25 mm and resemble bumble beesThese excavate nesting galleries in wood

Xylocopa californica arizonica

Xylocopa californica arizonica

Nest Gallery

Family Vespidae

Paper Wasps, Yellow Jackets and Hornets

Family Vespidae

This is a large group of Hymenopterans in North America

Represented by about 325 speciesThese tend to be common and well-knownMost are black with yellow or whitish

markings, some brownishSome are eusocial with three castes in the

nest – queen, workers and malesQueens and workers possess a powerful

sting

Family Vespidae

Nests of the social varieties are made from a papery substance

Wood, dried stems and foliage and paper are chewed and regurgitated to form the paper nests

Family Vespidae

The queen overwinters to start new colonies in spring

Larvae are fed on insects and other animals

Subfamily Polistinae

Paper Wasps

Subfamily Polistinae

Paper WaspsUsually reddish or brown with and

marked with yellowPrimitively eusocialColonies are started by a single female

or a small group of femalesThe nest is a comb of several cells made

of paper and suspended by a single stalk

Subfamily Polistinae

The larvae live in the open cellsThe cells are closed when the larvae

pupateThe nest gains in size as new larvae are

produced all season The most common species in North

America is Polistes

Polistes species

Polistes species

Subfamily Vespinae

Yellow Jackets & Hornets

Subfamily Vespinae

18 species in North AmericaEusocial and nests consist of one to

several tiers of hexagonal papery cellsMost nest in the groundMany nest in branches, under porches

and in other protected locationsMany are predaceousMany are opportunists

Vespula species

Yellow Jacket Nest

Superfamily Ichneumonoidae

Parasitic WaspsFamily Braconidae &

Family Ichneumonidae

Family Braconidae

Braconid waspsMore than 1,900 species occur in North

AmericaThese are beneficial parasitic waspsBoth ectoparasitic and endoparasitic in

natureTypically very small – usually less than

15 mm

Braconid Wasps

Cocoons of an Ectoparasized Larvae

Aleiodes texanus Adult

Parasitized Lepidoptera

Family Ichneumonidae

Ichneumonid waspsOne of the largest families in the entire

InsectaThere are more than 3,300 species in

North AmericaIchneumonids vary greatly in size, form

and colorBeneficial parasitic waspsLarvae are parasitoids

Ichneumonid Wasps

Cratichneumon subfilatus Heinrich

Superfamily Chalcidoidae

The Chalcidoid Wasps

Chalcidoid Wasps

Contains at least 20 families and about 2,200 species in North America

Most are very small – 2 mm to 3 mm with some 10 mm to 15 mm

Most are parasites of other insectsTypically they attack the egg or larval

stage of their host

Tetrastichus setifer

Tetrastichus setifer

Parasitizing Larvae

Tetrastichus setifer Parasitizing a Larvae

Family Formicidae

Ants

Family Formicidae

Common and widespreadOne of the most successful of all insect

groupsAll ants are eusocialMost colonies have at least 3 castes –

queens, males and workers

Family Formicidae

Queens have wings and do most of the egg-laying in the nest

Males also have wings, are short-lived and die soon after mating

Workers are wingless femalesCapable of both stinging and bitingMost are carnivorous, some eat nectar,

honeydew, sap, nectar, fungus, etc.

Family Formicidae

Colonies vary in size from a dozen or more to many thousands

Nest can be found in all sorts of placesMost nest in the ground and may extend

several feet deepChambers may be divided into brood

chambers or food storage chambers

Spreading Out

Once a year males and queens are produced in large numbers and take to the air

They mate on the wingThe males die The queens shed their wings and find suitable

locations to start new coloniesThe queen lays eggs in a shallow nest and

starts and cares for the first broodThis first brood then takes over enlarging and

caring for the queen and subsequent broods

Anatomy of an Ant

Argentine Ants

Iridomyrmex humilis

Fire Ants

Solenopsis spp.

Order Diptera

Flies

Order Diptera

FliesOne of the largest ordersAbundant in individuals and in speciesFound almost everywhereDipterans possess only one pair of wingsThe hind wings are reduced to structures

called halteresThe word “fly” is written as a separate

word in the common names of Diptera

Order Diptera

Halteres

Order Diptera

Most all are small, soft-bodied insectsSome are quite minuteMany are of great economic importanceMany species are bloodsucking pests of

humans and animalsMany are pests to cultivated plantsSome are predators or parasites to insect

pestsSome are pollinators

Diseases From Diptera

Many vector serious diseasesDiseases organisms include:Malaria, yellow fever, filarasis, dengue,

sleeping sickness, typhoid fever, dysentery, etc.

Order Diptera

Mouthparts can be piercingSome have mouthparts used for lappingSome have vestigial mouthpartsDiptera undergo complete

metamorphosisLarvae are typically called “maggots”

and are worm-like and legless

Order Diptera

Larvae occur in various habitatMany occur in aquatic habitatsThe larvae of plant-feeders typically live in plant

tissue as leaf miners, stem borers, root borers and gall formers

Many larvae are carrion feedersPredaceous larvae also occur in different

habitatsAdults of many species feed on various plant or

animal juicesMany adults are predaceous

Order Diptera

Dipterans include:Mosquitoes, midges, gnats, crane flies,

horse flies, deer flies, robber flies, bee flies, syrphid flies, fruit flies, small fruit flies, blow flies, flesh flies, and many more

Green Bottle Fly

Phaenicia sericata

Pictured Wing Fruit Fly

Strauzia longipennis

Crane Fly

Tipula vitatta

Flesh Fly

Sarcophaga sp.

Horse Fly

Tabanus sulcifrons