AW Insect Book: Sawflies, Wasps, Bees & Ants (Hymenoptera)

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AW Insect Book: Sawflies, Wasps, Bees & Ants (Hymenoptera)

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AW Insect Book: Sawflies, Wasps, Bees & Ants (Order: Hymenoptera)

Upload your photo(s) (up to 640 pixels on the largest side) of a sawfly, wasp, bee or ant and add a description (description, distribution, habitat etc) underneath. Please only do one species per post.

All entries will be edited and updated (additional photos and information will be added by moderators). New entries will be posted according to taxonomic order and the post date does not reflect the actual date of new posts.


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The main defining characteristic of the order Hymenoptera is that the front and hind wings are held together by a series of little hooks called hamuli. There are two suborders of Hymenoptera, the Symphyta (sawflies) and the Apocrita. The sawflies are a diverse group in the northern Hemisphere but here in southern Africa their diversity is low. The Apocrita are by far the most diverse of the two suborders and include all the wasps, bees and ants. The Apocrita have a distinctive constriction or waste in the abdomen which is a good field character for separating them from other insects. Some flies (Diptera) often look like bees or wasps but they can be immediately distinguished from Hymenoptera (and other insects) by having only a single pair of wings and not having the constriction in the abdomen.


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AW Insect Book: Sawflies Wasps Bees Ants INDEX

Post by Toko »

AW Insect Book: Sawflies, Wasps, Bees & Ants (Order: Hymenoptera)

INDEX to Order: Hymenoptera

Image


Suborder: Symphyta (Woodwasps, Horntails, Sawflies)

Suborder: Apocrita - Parasitica (Parasitic Wasps)
Superfamily Chalcidoidea
Family Agaonidae (Fig Wasps)
Ceratosolen arabicus Sycamore Fig Wasp viewtopic.php?p=508258#p508258

Superfamily Ichneumonoidea
Family Braconidae (Braconid Wasps)
Subfamily Braconinae
Bracon sp. Braconid Wasp viewtopic.php?p=239727#p239727
Bracon sp. Braconid Wasp viewtopic.php?p=239728#p239728
Subfamily Doryctinae
Doryctine Braconid Wasp viewtopic.php?p=239732#p239732

Family Ichneumonidae (Ichneumon Wasps)
Subfamily Banchinae
Syzeuctus sp. Ichneumon Wasp viewtopic.php?p=239738#p239738
Subfamily Cremastinae
Cremastine Ichneumon Wasp viewtopic.php?p=247304#p247304
Subfamily Cryptinae
Cryptine Ichneumon Wasp viewtopic.php?p=239741#p239741
Cryptine Ichneumon Wasp viewtopic.php?f=247&t=3212&start=30#p247328
Subfamily Pimplinae
Camptotypus sp. Ichneumon Wasp viewtopic.php?p=239745#p239745

Suborder: Apocrita - Aculeata (Wasps, Ants, Bees)
Superfamily Chrysidoidea
Family Chrysididae (Cuckoo Wasps)
Subfamily Chrysidinae
Chrysis sp. Cuckoo Wasp viewtopic.php?p=239758#p239758
Chrysis sp. Cuckoo Wasp viewtopic.php?p=239760#p239760
Chrysis sp. Cuckoo Wasp viewtopic.php?p=239761#p239761
Chrysis sp. Cuckoo Wasp viewtopic.php?p=501435#p501435
Hedychrum sp. Cuckoo Wasp viewtopic.php?p=501429#p501429

Superfamily Vespoidea
Family Formicidae (Ants)
Subfamily Formicinae
Anoplolepis custodiens Common Pugnacious Ant viewtopic.php?p=239780#p239780
Camponotus cinctellus Shiny Sugar Ant viewtopic.php?p=529044#p529044
Camponotus fulvopilosus Yellow-haired Sugar Ant viewtopic.php?p=240550#p240550
Camponotus maculatus group Spotted Sugar Ant viewtopic.php?p=240552#p240552
Oecophylla longinoda Weaver Ant, Tailor Ant viewtopic.php?p=240555#p240555
Polyrhachis schistacea Spiny Ant viewtopic.php?p=240559#p240559
Subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae
Tetraponera natalensis Slender Ant viewtopic.php?p=240561#p240561
Tetraponera natalensis Slender Ant viewtopic.php?p=240563#p240563]
Subfamily Myrmicinae
Crematogaster peringueyi Cocktail Ant viewtopic.php?p=240566#p240566
Crematogaster castanea rufonigra Red-black Cocktail Ant viewtopic.php?p=240565#p240565
Ocymyrmex sp. Myrmicine Hotrod Ant (Male) viewtopic.php?p=240567#p240567
Ocymyrmex fortior Hotrod Ant viewtopic.php?p=533739#p533739
Ocymyrmex resekhes Myrmicine Hotrod Ant viewtopic.php?p=240568#p240568
Pheidole crassinoda Thick-noded House Ant viewtopic.php?p=533576#p533576
Pheidole megacephala Big-headed Ant, Brown House Ant viewtopic.php?p=240571#p240571
Pheidole tenuinodis Narrow-gutted House Ant viewtopic.php?p=533429#p533429
Subfamily Ponerinae
Odontomachus troglodytes Ponerine Trap-jaw Ant viewtopic.php?p=504624#p504624
Pachycondyla analis Matabele Ant viewtopic.php?p=240577#p240577
Platythyrea schultzei Ponerine Ant viewtopic.php?p=505093#p505093
Subfamily Dorylinae
Dorylus fulvus badius Red Driver Ant viewtopic.php?f=247&t=3212&start=50#p246271
Dorylus helvolus Red Driver Ant viewtopic.php?p=240579#p240579

Family Mutillidae (Velvet Ants)
Smicromyrme atropos Velvet Ant viewtopic.php?p=240595#p240595
Tricholabiodes sp. Velvet Ant viewtopic.php?p=528614#p528614
Trogaspidia major Velvet Ant viewtopic.php?f=247&t=3212&p=240595#p265853

Family Pompilidae (Spider Hunting Wasps)
Subfamily Pepsinae
Hemipepsis tamisieri Spider-hunting Wasp viewtopic.php?p=242604#p242604
Hemipepsis sp. Spider-hunting Wasp viewtopic.php?p=248141#p248141
Hemipepsis sp. Spider-hunting Wasp viewtopic.php?f=247&t=3212&start=50#p265858
Java atropus Giant Black Spider-hunting Wasp viewtopic.php?p=242603#p242603
Subfamily Pompilinae
Episyron sp. Spider-hunting Wasp viewtopic.php?p=490523#p490523
Homonotus ruficornis Spider-hunting Wasp viewtopic.php?p=514596#p514596
Tachypompilus ignitus Spider-hunting Wasp viewtopic.php?p=242606#p242606

Family Scoliidae (Mammoth Wasps)
Campsomeriella caelebs Mammoth Wasp viewtopic.php?f=247&t=3212&start=120#p531644
Campsomeriella sp. Campsomerine Mammoth Wasp viewtopic.php?p=242624#p242624
Micromeriella atropos Campsomerine Mammoth Wasp viewtopic.php?p=242623#p242623

Family Vespidae (Paper, Potter & Pollen Wasps)
Subfamily Masarinae (Pollen Wasps)
Quartinia sp. Pollen Wasp viewtopic.php?p=505236#p505236
Subfamily Eumeninae (Potter Wasps)
Afreumenes aethiopicus Potter Wasp viewtopic.php?p=242874#p242874
Delta caffrum Potter Wasp viewtopic.php?p=500136#p500136
Delta emarginatum Potter Wasp viewtopic.php?p=242877#p242877
Delta lepeleterii Potter Wasp viewtopic.php?f=247&t=3212&p=242877#p266045
Synagris (Paragris) analis Orange-tailed Potter Wasp viewtopic.php?p=306595#p306595
Synagris sp. Potter Wasp viewtopic.php?p=242879#p242879
Tricarinodynerus guerinii Potter Wasp viewtopic.php?p=242884#p242884
Unidentified Potter Wasp viewtopic.php?p=242886#p242886
Unidentified Potter Wasp viewtopic.php?p=242887#p242887
Subfamily Polistinae (Paper Wasps)
Belonogaster juncea colonialis Paper Wasp viewtopic.php?p=244734#p244734
Belonogaster sp Paper Wasp viewtopic.php?p=244735#p244735
Belonogaster sp Paper Wasp viewtopic.php?p=244736#p244736
Polistes cf. badius Paper Wasp viewtopic.php?p=526215#p526215
Polistes marginalis Paper Wasp viewtopic.php?p=244740#p244740
Polistes sp. Paper Wasp viewtopic.php?p=244741#p244741
Polistes sp. Paper Wasp viewtopic.php?p=244742#p244742
Ropalidia cincta Paper Wasp viewtopic.php?p=244760#p244760
Ropalidia nobilis Paper Wasp viewtopic.php?p=488310#p488310
Ropalidia sp. Paper Wasp viewtopic.php?p=244763#p244763
Ropalidia sp. Paper Wasp viewtopic.php?p=244768#p244768
Subfamily Vespinae (Hornets)

Superfamily Apoidea (Bees and Sphecid Wasps)
Spheciformes (Sphecid wasps)

Family Ampulicidae

Family Crabronidae (Crabronid Wasps: Bee Wolves, Sand Wasps &Allies)
Subfamily Bembicinae
Bembix capensis Sand Wasp viewtopic.php?p=500342#p500342
Bembix sp Sand Wasp viewtopic.php?p=245189#p245189
Bembix sp Fly-hunter Sand Wasp viewtopic.php?p=528907#p528907
Gorytes natalensis, Pseudoplisus natalensis Flowerpot Wasp viewtopic.php?p=245207#p245207
Stizus sp Digger Wasp viewtopic.php?p=245617#p245617
Stizus sp Sand Wasp viewtopic.php?p=497783#p497783
Subfamily Crabroninae (Square-headed Wasps)
Liris sp. Larrine Cricket Hunter viewtopic.php?p=496843#p496843
Miscophus kriechbaumeri Digger Wasp viewtopic.php?p=245880#p245880
Miscophus Digger Wasps viewtopic.php?p=245879#p245879
Miscophus Digger Wasp viewtopic.php?p=245889#p245889
Larrine Wasp viewtopic.php?p=245891#p245891
Tachytes sp. Sand-loving Wasp viewtopic.php?p=530456#p530456
Trypoxylon sp. Spider-hunting Digger Wasp viewtopic.php?p=526193#p526193
Subfamily Philanthinae
Philanthus triangulum Bee-wolf viewtopic.php?p=245894#p245894
Philanthus cf histrio Bee-wolf viewtopic.php?p=245896#p245896
Philanthus sp. Bee-wolf viewtopic.php?f=247&t=3212&p=245896#p245924

Family Heterogynaidae

Family Sphecidae (Thread-waisted Wasps, Mud Daubers, Digger & Sand Wasps)
Subfamily Ammophilinae
Ammophila ferrugineipes Thread-waisted Wasp viewtopic.php?p=246890#p246890
Ammophila sp. Thread-waisted Wasp viewtopic.php?p=247116#p247116
Ammophila sp. Thread-waisted Wasp viewtopic.php?p=247118#p247118
Subfamily Chloriontinae
Subfamily Sceliphrinae
Chalybion spinolae False Mud Dauber viewtopic.php?p=247127#p247127
Subfamily Sphecinae
Isodontia longiventris Katydid Hunter viewtopic.php?p=489186#p489186
Sphex sp. Digger Wasp viewtopic.php?p=247132#p247132
Sphex sp. Digger Wasp viewtopic.php?p=247138#p247138

Apiformes (Bees)

Family Andrenidae

Family Apidae (Honey, Cuckoo, Digger & Carpenter Bees)
Subfamily Apinae
Tribe Anthophorini
Amegilla calens Digger Bee viewtopic.php?p=251501#p251501
Amegilla capensis Digger Bee viewtopic.php?p=251502#p251502
Amegilla sp. Digger Bee viewtopic.php?p=251544#p251544
Anthophora (Heliophila) cf vestita Common Digger Bee viewtopic.php?p=183771#p183771
Tribe Apini
Apis mellifera Honey Bee viewtopic.php?p=251504#p251504
Tribe Melectini
Thyreus sp. Cuckoo Bee viewtopic.php?p=251512#p251512
Thyreus pictus Cuckoo Bee viewtopic.php?p=251513#p251513
Subfamily Nomadininae
Subfamily Xylocopinae
Tribe Allodapini
Allodapula variegata Small Carpenter Bee viewtopic.php?p=251520#p251520
Allodapula sp. viewtopic.php?p=251521#p251521
Tribe Ceratini
Ceratina (Pithitis) inermis Small Carpenter Bee viewtopic.php?p=501632#p501632
Ceratina sp. Small Carpenter Bee viewtopic.php?p=251515#p251515
Tribe Xylocopini
Xylocopa caffra Carpenter Bee viewtopic.php?p=251540#p251540
Xylocopa sp Carpenter Bee viewtopic.php?p=251544#p251544
Xylocopa sp Carpenter Bee viewtopic.php?p=265192#p265192

Family Colletidae

Family Halictidae (Sweat Bees, Flower Bees)
Subfamily Nomiinae
Spatunomia rubra Halictid Bee viewtopic.php?p=265202#p265202
Subfamily Halictinae
Halictus jucundus Sweet Bee viewtopic.php?p=265245#p265245
Lasioglossum sp. Sweet Bee viewtopic.php?p=265247#p265247

Family Megachilidae (Leaf Cutting Bees, Mason Bees)
Subfamily Fideliinae
Subfamily Megachilinae
Tribe Anthidiini
Anthidium or Afranthidium sp. Wool Carder Bee viewtopic.php?p=500840#p500840
Tribe Megachilini
Coelioxys apicata Cuckoo Bee viewtopic.php?p=265263#p265263
Coelioxys circumscripta Cuckoo Bee viewtopic.php?p=265265#p265265
Megachile maxillosa Great-jawed Resin Bee viewtopic.php?p=531643#p531643
Megachile sp. Leaf Cutter Bee viewtopic.php?p=265268#p265268
Megachile sp. Leaf Cutter Bee viewtopic.php?p=265271#p265271
Megachile (Eutricharea) Leaf Cutter Bee viewtopic.php?p=265273#p265273
Megachile (Maximegachile) maxillosa Large Dauber Megachile viewtopic.php?p=500122#p500122
Tribe Osmiini
Osmiine Bee cf. Heriades sp. viewtopic.php?p=265274#p265274
Osmiine Bee viewtopic.php?p=502979#p502979

Family Melittidae


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AW Insect Book: Sawflies, Wasps, Bees & Ants (Hymenoptera)

Post by Toko »

Common Digger Bee Anthophora (Heliophila) cf vestita
Superfamily Apoidea. Family Apidae. Subfamily Apinae. Tribe Anthophorini

Image

Image
Garden in Johannesburg (March 2014) © BluTuna

Anthophorini are large, hairy bees; solitary, ground nesting, pollen collectors.
The genus Anthophora has three subgenera (Heliophila, Paramegilla and Pyganthophora) with a total of 54 species.
They are widespread and fairly common.

The subgenus Anthophora (Heliophila) comprises the small common Anthophora. They occur throughout Africa, and through much of the Holarctic Region. They mostly have yellow clypeal maculation. 39 species occur in sub-Saharan Africa.
Diagnosis: Female with upper, posterior margin of hind tibia with simple hair; male labrum mostly with two small, subapical, median tubercles and/or tergum 7 without distinct teeth or lobes posteriorly.

Anthophora digger bees are solitary – that is, each bee builds and provisions its own nest.
As their name suggests, Anthophora digger bees typically nest in the earth, either in level ground or vertical banks. A few Anthophora species make tunnels in pithy stems and rotted wood, lining their nests with oils collected from plants.
Females construct ground nests by digging with their front legs and using their mandibles to loosen dirt.

Links:
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2451848113
https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/e ... a_bees.htm
http://www.abctaxa.be/volumes/vol-7-bees
http://zoologie.umons.ac.be/hymenoptera ... ompact.pdf


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Re: WWW Links to Hymenoptera

Post by Toko »

under construction


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SUBORDER APOCRITA

Post by Toko »

The Apocrita include all the wasps, bees and ants. This group is distinguished from Symphyta by the narrow "waist" (petiole) formed between the first two segments of the actual abdomen; the first abdominal segment is fused to the thorax, and is called the propodeum; the first and, sometimes, second segment may be narrowed to form a long or short waist.
Bees, and a few wasps, feed their young on a mixture of pollen and nectar; others parasitize insects or provide young with paralyzed insects or spiders.
The Apocrita are often split into two groups, Parasitica and Aculeata, but these are rankless groupings.
Parasitic Wasps (group Parasitica) lack sting but have venom glands which they apply for paralyzing the prey before laying eggs on/in it.


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Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea, Braconidae

Post by Toko »

Family Braconidae (Braconid Wasps)
Braconids belong to superfamily Ichneumonoidea, which is characterized by the absence of costal cell in the fore wing. The absence of costal cell in combination with the absence of second recurrent vein in the fore wing and lack of articulation between abdominal segments 2 and 3 make these wasps a distinct group (called braconids within Hymenoptera.
Braconids are maller and stouter than ichneumon wasps, with brown, black, orange or bright red coloration. Abdomen of female may end in a long ovipositor, used in some species to drill into plant stems to reach the host. Wing venation is considerably reduced in some species, and there is a square cell on the fore wing. They have one or no recurrent veins, unlike other members of the Ichneumonoidea, which usually have two. The antennae have 16 segments or more; the hind trochanters have two segments.

Koinobiont or idiobiont endoparasitoids of insect immature stages or adults. As parasitoids they almost invariably kill their hosts. Braconids parasitize larvae and pupae, most commonly larva of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, but also Hemiptera nymphs and adults; Orthoptera and Psocoptera nymphs; adult Hymenoptera, Coleoptera and Chrysopidae; Symphyta larvae; Diptera larva; Isoptera and Embioptera.

Links:
WaspWeb: Braconidae of the Afrotropical Region
Wikipedia - Braconidae
Hymenoptera of the world, an identification guide to families (PDF) page 358


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Re: Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea, Braconidae, Braconinae

Post by Toko »

Subfamily Braconinae
Diagnosis: Forewing with more than 3 closed cells. Antennae with more than 16 segments. Costal cell absent.
Endoparasitoids (idiobiont) of concealed larvae of xylophagous and stem-boring Coleoptera and Lepidoptera and rarely of Diptera and Symphyta.

Links:
WaspWeb: Braconinae of the Afrotropical Region


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AW Insect Book: Sawflies, Wasps, Bees & Ants (Hymenoptera)

Post by ExFmem »

Braconid Wasp Possibly Bracon sp.
Superfamily: Ichneumonoidea. Family: Braconidae. Subfamily: Braconinae. Tribe: Braconini.

Image © ExFmem
Female, Kruger National Park

The genus Bracon is one of the largest in the family Braconidae, with over 2000 described species. Members of the genus Bracon can be distinguished by the venation of the hind wing, in which the subbasal cell is very small. All species of Bracon lack the occipital carina.
Most of these species are parasitoids of lepidopteran and coleopteran hosts.

Links: WaspWeb Bracon


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AW Insect Book: Sawflies, Wasps, Bees & Ants (Hymenoptera)

Post by BluTuna »

Braconid Wasp Most likely Bracon sp.
Superfamily: Ichneumonoidea. Family: Braconidae. Subfamily: Braconinae. Tribe: Braconini.

Image © BluTuna
Female with long ovipsitor, Johannesburg


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Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea, Braconidae, Doryctinae

Post by Toko »

Subfamily Doryctinae
The Doryctinae or doryctine wasps are a large subfamily of braconid parasitic wasps (Braconidae) with a worldwide distribution. They are solitary ectoparasitoids (idiobiont) of xylophagus and stem-boring Coleoptera larvae.

Links:
WaspWeb: Doryctinae of the Afrotropical Region


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