Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Arthropoda > Class: Insecta > Order: Hymenoptera

Ants, Bees, Wasps, Sawflies & Horntails

This is a large order of insects that have existed since the Triassic period. the name derives from the ancient Greek word hymen, meaning membrane, and pteron, wing. They are often thought of as the stinging insects and the stinging part is a modification of the egg-laying appendage. As egg laying is a female attribute only females sting.

The various members of the order exhibit a large diversity in behavior varying from solitary to large colony-forming species with complex social systems. Most other Hymenoptera are predatory or parasitic.

They have 4 developmental stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Most adults have two pairs of wings, these are linked together by hooks and operate in unison during flight. Although often regarded as pests, most are extremely beneficial as pollinators or as enemies of insect pests via predation or parasitism.

The order has been divided into two sub-orders with numerous superfamilies. I have only listed superfamilies and families where I have at least one photo of a possible species. All photos are from UK unless otherwise specified

1. Suborder Apocrita — Narrow-waisted Wasps, Ants & Bees
   1. Superfamily Apoidea (Bees and Apoid Wasps )
      1. Family Apidae — Honey Bees, Bumble Bees and Allies
         1. Anthophora bimaculata, Green-Eyed Flower Bee
         2. Anthophora furcata, Fork-tailed Flower Bee
         3. Bombus pascuorum, Common Carder Bee
         4. Bombus terrestris, Buff-tailed Bumble Bee
      2. Family Crabronidae — Crabronid Wasp
         1. Crabro cribrarius #
      3. Family Halictidae (Sweat Bees )
         1. Not yet identified beyond family level
      4. Family Megachilidae — Mason, Leafcutter, Carder, and Resin Bees
         1. Megachile centuncularis#, Patchwork Leafcutter Bee
   2. Superfamily: Vespoidea — Ants & Vespoid Wasps
      1. Family: Eumenidae — Potter & Mason Waps
         1. Polistes lanio, The Jack Spaniard (Trinidad)
      2. Family Formicidae — Ants
         1. Atta cephalotes, Leaf-cutter Ant
      3. Family Vespidae — Hornets, Paper Wasps, Potter Wasps & Allies
         1. Synocea Sp. – armadillo wasps (Trinidad)
   3. Superfamily Ichneumonoidea — Ichneumonid and Braconid Wasps
      1. Family Ichneumonidae — Ichneumonid Wasps
         1. Pimpla rufipes, Black Slip Wasp (no photo)
2. Suborder Symphyta — Sawflies, Horntails & Wood wasps
   1. Superfamily Cephoidea — Stem Sawflies and Allies
      1. Family Tenthredinidae
         1. Tenthredo Sp.
   2. Superfamily Tenthredinoidea — Typical Sawflies
      1. Family Argidae — Argid Sawflies
         1. Arge Sp.
      2. Family Tenthredinidae — Common Sawflies
         1. Athalia cordata