Entomology
Week 4
Graham Holloway
Hymenoptera & Neuroptera
Hymenoptera;
- 150,000 spp [20% of insects], 600,000 – 1.2M, 7000+ UK, 2 pairs of membranous
wings, biting mouthparts, haplo-diploid.
- Can be large; 70mm [tarantula hawk] / 25mm [Violet carpenter bee] 25-35mm
[hornets]
- Can be small; 0.139mm [mymaridae] / mymarommatidae
- Wings; hamuli = hooks which couple wings in flight = 1 pair of wings
1. Suborder; Symphyta [Sawflies]
- No obvious waist, caterpillar like herbivore larvae / tenthredinidae = 7500spp [446
UK]
a. Cimbicidae; larvae solitary herbivore, antenna with prominent apical clubs knobs,
3cm, heaviest.
b. Siricidae; larger colorful, sun-loving, horn-like projection [cornus] on final tergite
[F] or sternum [M]/ tegulae scale like sclerite covering base of forewing is
vestigial and forewing membrane corrugated at apex.
2. Suborder; Apocrita
- Deep constriction between 1st and 2nd segment of
abdomen, 1st fused with thorax = waist.
a. Aculeata [Bees/Wasps/Ants]
o Modified ovipositor = sting
[monophyletic]
1. Superfamily; Chrysidoidea; 7 families/
3000+ spp [80 UK]
i. Chrysididae; [Jewel wasp] colorful, metallic, reduction in stinging
apparatus
ii. Dryinidae [Solitary wasp]; larvae parasitoids -1900 spp, rear legs
have spurs = grooming, 10 segmented antennae, sexual
dimorphism [M wings/ F wingless]
iii. Bethylidae; [Aculeate wasps] can be parasoidial or stinging.
2. Superfamily; Vespoidea; 13 families, 84 UK spp, social wasps
3. Superfamily; Formicoidea [Ants] 12,500spp [51UK] social behavior,
ecosystem engineers
4. Superfamily Apoidea; [Sphecoid wasps] 5 families, 3,000spp [216 UK]
iv. Clade; Anthophila [Bees]; 7 families, 20,000spp [260UK], worlds
smallest bee = 2mm [Perdita minima]
b. Parasitica [parasitic wasp]
1. Superfamily; Ichneumonoidea; diverse, 16 segments in antenna
a. Ichneumonidae; larger, colorful, F long ovipositors, 2 recurrent veins,
1335 spp UK
b. Braconidae; primary parasitoids, 0 recurrent veins, 2578 spp UK
Week 4
Graham Holloway
Hymenoptera & Neuroptera
Hymenoptera;
- 150,000 spp [20% of insects], 600,000 – 1.2M, 7000+ UK, 2 pairs of membranous
wings, biting mouthparts, haplo-diploid.
- Can be large; 70mm [tarantula hawk] / 25mm [Violet carpenter bee] 25-35mm
[hornets]
- Can be small; 0.139mm [mymaridae] / mymarommatidae
- Wings; hamuli = hooks which couple wings in flight = 1 pair of wings
1. Suborder; Symphyta [Sawflies]
- No obvious waist, caterpillar like herbivore larvae / tenthredinidae = 7500spp [446
UK]
a. Cimbicidae; larvae solitary herbivore, antenna with prominent apical clubs knobs,
3cm, heaviest.
b. Siricidae; larger colorful, sun-loving, horn-like projection [cornus] on final tergite
[F] or sternum [M]/ tegulae scale like sclerite covering base of forewing is
vestigial and forewing membrane corrugated at apex.
2. Suborder; Apocrita
- Deep constriction between 1st and 2nd segment of
abdomen, 1st fused with thorax = waist.
a. Aculeata [Bees/Wasps/Ants]
o Modified ovipositor = sting
[monophyletic]
1. Superfamily; Chrysidoidea; 7 families/
3000+ spp [80 UK]
i. Chrysididae; [Jewel wasp] colorful, metallic, reduction in stinging
apparatus
ii. Dryinidae [Solitary wasp]; larvae parasitoids -1900 spp, rear legs
have spurs = grooming, 10 segmented antennae, sexual
dimorphism [M wings/ F wingless]
iii. Bethylidae; [Aculeate wasps] can be parasoidial or stinging.
2. Superfamily; Vespoidea; 13 families, 84 UK spp, social wasps
3. Superfamily; Formicoidea [Ants] 12,500spp [51UK] social behavior,
ecosystem engineers
4. Superfamily Apoidea; [Sphecoid wasps] 5 families, 3,000spp [216 UK]
iv. Clade; Anthophila [Bees]; 7 families, 20,000spp [260UK], worlds
smallest bee = 2mm [Perdita minima]
b. Parasitica [parasitic wasp]
1. Superfamily; Ichneumonoidea; diverse, 16 segments in antenna
a. Ichneumonidae; larger, colorful, F long ovipositors, 2 recurrent veins,
1335 spp UK
b. Braconidae; primary parasitoids, 0 recurrent veins, 2578 spp UK
