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Wasps
Aleiodes indiscretus parasitizing a gypsy moth caterpillar
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera
Suborder
Apocrita See text for explanation. A wasp is any insect in the order Hymenoptera that is not a bee or an ant. ... Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Download high resolution version (640x804, 187 KB) Aleiodes indiscretus wasp parasitizing a gypsy moth caterpillar. ... Low Temperature Scanning Electron Microscope (LTSEM) image of Varroa destructor on a honey bee host Mites parasitising a harvestman Parasitism is one version of symbiosis (living together), a phenomenon in which two organisms which are phylogenetically unrelated co-exist over a prolonged period of time, usually the lifetime of one... Binomial name Lymantria dispar Linnaeus, 1758 The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, is a moth in the family Lymantriidae of Eurasian origin. ... Scientific classification redirects here. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Subphyla and Classes Subphylum Trilobitomorpha Trilobita - trilobites (extinct) Subphylum Chelicerata Arachnida - spiders,scorpions, etc. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... Suborders Apocrita Symphyta Hymenoptera is one of the larger orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. ... Superfamilies Apoidea Ceraphronoidea Chalcidoidea Chrysidoidea Cynipoidea Evanioidea Ichneumonoidea Megalyroidea Proctotrupoidea Sphecoidea Stephanoidea Triganalyoidea Vespoidea Many families, see article Apocrita is a suborder of insects in the order Hymenoptera. ...

Wasp ocelli (simple eyes) and dorsal part of the compound eyes; also showing fine, unbranched hairs

Wasp stinger, with droplet of venom

A wasp is any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is neither bee nor ant. The suborder Symphyta includes the sawflies and wood wasps, which differ from members of Apocrita by having a broader connection between the mesosoma and metasoma. In addition to this, Symphyta larvae are mostly herbivorous and "caterpillarlike", whereas those of Apocrita are largely predatory or "parasitic" (technically known as parasitoid). Image File history File links Wasp_ocelli. ... Image File history File links Wasp_ocelli. ... An ocellus (plural: ocelli) is a type of photoreceptor organ in animals. ... In anatomy, the dorsum is the upper or back side of an animal, as opposed to the ventrum. ... Compound eye of a dragonfly A compound eye is a visual organ found in arthropods such as insects and crustaceans. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... It has been suggested that sting (biology) be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Snake poison be merged into this article or section. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... Suborders Apocrita Symphyta Hymenoptera is one of the larger orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. ... Superfamilies Apoidea Ceraphronoidea Chalcidoidea Chrysidoidea Cynipoidea Evanioidea Ichneumonoidea Megalyroidea Proctotrupoidea Sphecoidea Stephanoidea Triganalyoidea Vespoidea Many families, see article Apocrita is a suborder of insects in the order Hymenoptera. ... For other uses, see Western honey bee and Bee (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ant (disambiguation). ... Families (Cephoidea)   Cephidae-stem sawflies (Megalodontoidea)   Megalodontidae   Pamphilidae-leaf-rolling      & web-spinning sawflies (Orussoidea)   Orussidae-parasitic wood wasps (Siricoidea)   Siricidae- horntails (Tenthredinoidea)   Argidae-argid sawflies   Blasticotomidae   Cimbicidae-cimbicid sawflies   Diprionidae-conifer sawflies   Pergidae-pergid sawflies   Tenthredinidae-common sawflies (Xyeloidea)   Anaxyelidae-cedar sawflies   Xyelidae-xyelid sawflies   Xiphydriidae-wood wasps Symphyta is... Superfamilies and families Superfamily Cephoidea    Family Cephidae (stem sawflies) Superfamily Megalodontoidea    Family Megalodontesidae    Family Pamphiliidae (leaf-rolling & web-spinning sawflies) Superfamily Orussoidea    Family Orussidae (parasitic wood wasps) Superfamily Siricoidea    Family Anaxyelidae (cedar wood wasps)    Family Siricidae (horntails) Superfamily Tenthredinoidea    Family Argidae (argid sawflies)    Family Blasticotomidae (fern sawflies)    Family Cimbicidae (cimbicid... A Wood Wasp, also known as a parasitic wood wasp or horntail, is a mostly harmless flying insect, about 23 mm long, common for example in the United Kingdom. ... Scorpion anatomy: 1 = Prosoma; 2 = Mesosoma; 3 = Metasoma The mesosoma is clearly visible on this ant: it is the midlle section, in between the head and the petiole The mesosoma is the middle part of the body, or tagma, of arthropods whose body is composed of three parts, the other... Scorpion anatomy: 1 = Prosoma; 2 = Mesosoma; 3 = Metasoma The metasoma is clearly visible on this ant: it is the posterior section, including the petiole The metasoma is the posterior part of the body, or tagma, of arthropods whose body is composed of three parts, the other two being the prosoma... A larval insect A larva (Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of animal with indirect development, undergoing metamorphosis (for example, insects or amphibians). ... A deer and two fawns feeding on some foliage A herbivore is often defined as any organism that eats only plants[1]. By that definition, many fungi, some bacteria, many animals, about 1% of flowering plants and some protists can be considered herbivores. ... This article is about a form of an insect. ... Predator and Prey redirect here. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

The most familiar wasps belong to Aculeata, a division of Apocrita, whose ovipositors are adapted into a venomous stinger. Aculeata also contains ants and bees. In this respect, insects called "velvet ants" (the family Mutillidae) are technically wasps. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Wasp sting, with droplet of venom Venom (literally, poison of animal origin) is any of a variety of toxins used by animals, for the purpose of defense and hunting. ... It has been suggested that sting (biology) be merged into this article or section. ... Subfamilies Mutillinae Myrmillinae Myrmosinae Pseudophotopsidinae Rhopalomutillinae Sphaeropthalminae Ticoplinae Mutillidae or velvet ants, also known as cow killers, are not actually ants but a type of wasp. ...

A much narrower and simpler but popular definition of the term wasp is any member of the Aculeate family Vespidae, which includes (among others) the genera known in North America as yellowjackets (Vespula and Dolichovespula) and hornets (Vespa). Genera The vespids are a family of wasps, including all social wasps and some solitary wasps. ... North American redirects here. ... Yellowjacket or yellow-jacket is the common name in North America for wasps of the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula. ... This article refers collectively to all true hornets. ...

Categorization

The various species of wasp fall into one of two main categories: solitary wasps and social wasps. Adult solitary wasps generally live and operate alone, and most do not construct nests; all adult solitary wasps are fertile. By contrast, social wasps exist in colonies numbering up to several thousand strong and build nests—but in some cases not all of the colony can reproduce. Generally, just the queen and male wasps can mate, whilst the majority of the colonies are made up of sterile female workers.

Characteristics

The following characteristics are present in most wasps:

• two pairs of wings (except wingless or brachypterous forms in all female Mutillidae, Bradynobaenidae, many male Agaonidae, many female Ichneumonidae, Braconidae, Tiphiidae, Scelionidae, Rhopalosomatidae, Eupelmidae, and various other families).
• An ovipositor, or stinger (which is only present in females because it derives from the ovipositor, a female sex organ).
• Few or no hairs (in contrast to bees); except Mutillidae, Bradynobaenidae, Scoliidae.
• Nearly all wasps are terrestrial; only a few specialized parasitic groups are aquatic.
• Predators or parasitoids, mostly on other terrestrial insects; some species of Pompilidae, such as the tarantula hawk, specialize in using spiders as prey, and various parasitic wasps use spiders or other arachnids as reproductive hosts.

Wasps are critically important in natural biocontrol. Almost every pest insect species has a wasp species that is a predator or parasite upon it. Parasitic wasps are also increasingly used in agricultural pest control as they have little impact on crops. Wasps also constitute an important part of the food chain. Wing structure of a dragonfly (family Gomphidae) Insect wings are outgrowths of the insect exoskeleton that enable insects to fly. ... Subfamilies Mutillinae Myrmillinae Myrmosinae Pseudophotopsidinae Rhopalomutillinae Sphaeropthalminae Ticoplinae Mutillidae or velvet ants, also known as cow killers, are not actually ants but a type of wasp. ... Genera Many, see text. ... Subfamilies Lycorininae Orthopelmatinae Orthocentrinae Tersilochinae Microleptinae Mesochorinae Xoridinae Acaenitinae Ophioninae Anomaloninae Cremastinae Porizontinae Diplazontinae Metopiinae Scolobatinae Tryphoninae Banchinae Ephialtinae (=Pimplinae) Gelinae (=Crytinae) Ichneumoninae The Ichneumonidae is a family of the Ichneumonoidea Categories: Insect stubs ... Subfamilies Adeliinae Agathidinae Alysiinae Amicrocentrinae Aphidiinae Apozyginae Betylobraconinae Blacinae Braconinae Cardiochilinae Cenocoeliinae Cheloninae Dirrhopinae Doryctinae Ecnomiinae Euphorinae Exothecinae Gnamptodontinae Helconinae Histeromerinae Homolobinae Hormiinae Khoikhoiiinae Ichneutinae Macrocentrinae Masoninae Mendesellinae Mesostoinae Meteorideinae Meteorinae Microgastrinae Microtypinae Miracinae Neoneurinae Opiinae Orgilinae Pselaphaninae Rhyssalinae Rogadinae Sigalphinae Telengaiinae Trachypetinae Vaepellinae Ypsistocerinae Xiphozelinae Braconidae is a family... Genera Diamma Myzinum Tiphia (etc. ... Subfamilies Scelioninae Teleasinae Telenominae The Hymenopteran family Scelionidae is a very large cosmopolitan group (over 3000 described species in some 160 genera) of exclusively parasitoid wasps, mostly small (0. ... Rhopalosomatidae is an odd family of hymenoptera Categories: Insect stubs ... Diversity 3 subfamilies c. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... It has been suggested that sting (biology) be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the body feature. ... Predator and Prey redirect here. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Genera many (35 in North America)   Spider wasps, also called pompilid wasps or spider-hunting wasps, are insects belonging to a diverse family named Pompilidae, of the order Hymenoptera. ... Genera Pepsis Hemipepsis The tarantula hawk is the common name for species in the genera Pepsis and Hemipepsis of the family Pompilidae, in the insect Order Hymenoptera. ... For other uses, see Spider (disambiguation). ... The term parasitic wasp refers to a large, artificial assemblage of Hymenopteran superfamilies which are primarily parasitoids of other animals, mostly other arthropods. ... Biological control of pests and diseases Overview A key belief of the organic gardener is that diversity furthers health. ... A crop duster applies low-insecticide bait that is targeted against Western corn rootworms Pest control refers to the regulation or management of another species defined as a pest, usually because it is believed to be detrimental to a persons health, the ecology or the economy Pest control is... Food chains, food webs and/or food networks describe the feeding relationships between species to another within an ecosystem. ...

Biology

The basic morphology of a female yellowjacket wasp

A "velvet ant"; a flightless wasp in the family Mutillidae

A sphecid wasp from California

Tiphiid wasp

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1900x1820, 522 KB) Summary Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1900x1820, 522 KB) Summary Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Yellowjacket or yellow-jacket is the common name in North America for wasps of the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula. ... Female Velvet Ant Image copyleft: Image taken by me, released under GFDL Pollinator 13:22, Sep 23, 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Female Velvet Ant Image copyleft: Image taken by me, released under GFDL Pollinator 13:22, Sep 23, 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Subfamilies Mutillinae Myrmillinae Myrmosinae Pseudophotopsidinae Rhopalomutillinae Sphaeropthalminae Ticoplinae Mutillidae or velvet ants, also known as cow killers, are not actually ants but a type of wasp. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Subfamilies Ammophilinae Sceliphrinae Sphecinae Sphecidae blocking its burrow with a stone Sphecidae (Latreille, 1802) is a cosmopolitan family of wasps that include digger wasps, mud daubers and other familiar types that all fall under the category of thread-waisted wasps. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 675 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (696 × 618 pixel, file size: 39 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Tiphia sp. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 675 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (696 × 618 pixel, file size: 39 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Tiphia sp. ... Genera Diamma Myzinum Tiphia (etc. ...

Genetics

In wasps, as in other Hymenoptera, sexes are significantly genetically different. Females have a diploid (2n) number of chromosomes and come about from fertilized eggs. Males, in contrast, have a haploid (n) number of chromosomes and develop from an unfertilized egg. Wasps store sperm inside their body and control its release for each individual egg as it is laid; if a female wishes to produce a male egg, she simply lays the egg without fertilizing it. Therefore, under most conditions in most species, wasps have complete voluntary control over the sex of their offspring. Suborders Apocrita Symphyta Hymenoptera is one of the larger orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the general scientific term. ... Diploid (meaning double in Greek) cells have two copies (homologs) of each chromosome (both sex- and non-sex determining chromosomes), usually one from the mother and one from the father. ... A scheme of a condensed (metaphase) chromosome. ... Haploid (meaning simple in Greek) cells have only one copy of each chromosome. ...

Anatomy and gender

Anatomically, there is a great deal of variation between different species of wasp. Like all insects, wasps have a hard exoskeleton covering their 3 main body parts. These parts are known as the head, metasoma and mesosoma. Wasps also have a constricted region joining the first and second segments of the abdomen (the first segment is part of the mesosoma, the second is part of the metasoma) known as the petiole. Like all insects, wasps have 3 sets of 2 legs. In addition to their compound eyes, wasps also have several simple eyes known as ocelli. These are typically arranged in a triangular formation just forward of an area of the head known as the vertex. An exoskeleton is an external anatomical feature that supports and protects an animals body, in contrast to the internal endoskeleton of, for example, a human. ... For other uses, see Head (disambiguation). ... Scorpion anatomy: 1 = Prosoma; 2 = Mesosoma; 3 = Metasoma The metasoma is clearly visible on this ant: it is the posterior section, including the petiole The metasoma is the posterior part of the body, or tagma, of arthropods whose body is composed of three parts, the other two being the prosoma... Scorpion anatomy: 1 = Prosoma; 2 = Mesosoma; 3 = Metasoma The mesosoma is clearly visible on this ant: it is the midlle section, in between the head and the petiole The mesosoma is the middle part of the body, or tagma, of arthropods whose body is composed of three parts, the other... The petiole of this ant consists of two segments In entomology, the term petiole is most commonly used to refer to the constricted first (and sometimes second) metasomal segment of members of the Hymenopteran suborder Apocrita; it may be used to refer to other insects with similar body shapes, where... Compound eye of a dragonfly A compound eye is a visual organ found in certain arthropods (some insects and crustaceans). ... Ocelli is one of the types of photoreceptor organs in animals. ... In arthropod and vertebrate anatomy, the vertex (or cranial vertex) refers to the upper surface of the head. ...

It is possible to distinguish between certain wasp species genders based on the number of divisions on their antennae. Male Yellowjacket wasps for example have 13 divisions per antenna, while females have 12. Males can in some cases be differentiated from females by virtue of the fact that the upper region of the male's mesosoma(called the tergum) consists of an additional terga. The total number of terga is typically 6. The difference between sterile female worker wasps and queens also varies between species but generally the queen is noticeably larger than both males and other females. Insects display a wide variety of antennal shapes. ...

Wasps can be differentiated from bees as bees have a flattened hind basitarsus. Unlike bees, wasps generally lack plumose hairs. They vary in the number and size of hairs they have between species. An insect leg The arthropod leg is a form of jointed appendage of arthropods, usually used for walking. ...

Diet

Generally wasps are parasites as larvae, and feed only on nectar as adults. Though relatively uncommon, some wasps are omnivorous, feeding on a variety of fallen fruit, nectar, and carrion. Many wasps are predatory, preying on other insects. Certain social wasp species, such as yellowjackets, scavenge for dead insects to provide for their young. In turn the brood provides sweet secretions for the adults. A parasite is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life in or on the living tissue of a host organism and which causes harm to the host without immediately killing it. ...

In parasitic species, the first meals are almost always provided by the animal that the adult wasp used as a host for its young. Adult male wasps sometimes visit flowers to obtain nectar to feed on in much the same manner as honey bees. Occasionally, some species, such as yellowjackets, invade honeybee nests and steal honey and/or brood.^{[citation needed]} In Greek mythology, nectar and ambrosia are the food of the gods. ... The honeybee is a colonial insect that is often maintained, fed, and transported by farmers. ...

Wasp parasitism

With most species, adult parasitic wasps themselves do not take any nutrients from their prey, and, much like bees, butterflies, and moths, they typically derive all of their nutrition from nectar. Parasitic wasps are typically parasitoids, and extremely diverse in habits, many laying their eggs in inert stages of their host (egg or pupa), or sometimes paralyzing their prey by injecting it with venom through their ovipositor. They then insert one or more eggs into the host or deposit them upon the host externally. The host remains alive until the parasitoid larvae are mature, usually dying either when the parasitoids pupate, or when they emerge as adults. The term parasitic wasp refers to a large, artificial assemblage of Hymenopteran superfamilies which are primarily parasitoids of other animals, mostly other arthropods. ... Superfamilies and families Superfamily Hedyloidea: Hedylidae Superfamily Hesperioidea: Hesperiidae Superfamily Papilionoidea: Papilionidae Pieridae Nymphalidae Lycaenidae Riodinidae A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. ... For other uses, see Moths. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Social wasp reproductive cycle (temperate species only)

Wasps do not reproduce via mating flights like bees. Instead social wasps reproduce between a fertile queen and male wasp; in some cases queens may be fertilized by the sperm of several males. After successfully mating, the male's sperm cells are stored in a tightly packed ball inside the queen. The sperm cells are kept stored in a dormant state until they are needed the following spring. At a certain time of the year (often around autumn), the bulk of the wasp colony dies away, leaving only the young mated queens alive. During this time they leave the nest and find a suitable area to hibernate for the winter. For the usage in virology, see temperate (virology). ... A spermatozoon or spermatozoan ( spermatozoa), from the ancient Greek σπέρμα (seed) and (living being) and more commonly known as a sperm cell, is the haploid cell that is the male gamete. ... This article refers to the process of hibernation in biology. ...

First stage

After emerging from hibernation during early spring, the young queens search for a suitable nesting site. Upon finding an area for their future colony, the queen constructs a basic paper fiber nest roughly the size of a walnut into which she will begin to lay eggs. In most birds and reptiles, an egg (Latin ovum) is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum. ...

Second stage

The sperm that was stored earlier and kept dormant over winter is now used to fertilize the eggs being laid. The storage of sperm inside the female queen allows her to lay a considerable number of fertilized eggs without the need for repeated mating with a male wasp. For this reason a single female queen is capable of building an entire colony from only herself. The queen initially raises the first several sets of wasp eggs until enough sterile female workers exist to maintain the offspring without her assistance. All of the eggs produced at this time are sterile female workers who will begin to construct a more elaborate nest around their queen as they grow in number. Categories: Biology stubs ... IT FEELS REALLY GOOD IF YOU IMATATE THE ANIMALS. LOL! “Mounting” redirects here. ...

Third stage

European paper wasp (Polistes dominulus) evaporating water from a regurgitated droplet to cool herself

By this time the nest size has expanded considerably and now numbers between several hundred and several thousand wasps. Towards the end of the summer, the queen begins to run out of stored sperm to fertilize more eggs. These eggs develop into fertile males and fertile female queens. The male drones then fly out of the nest and find a mate thus perpetuating the wasp reproductive cycle. In most species of social wasp the young queens mate in the vicinity of their home nest and do not travel like their male counterparts do. The young queens will then leave the colony to hibernate for the winter once the other worker wasps and founder queen have started to die off. After successfully mating with a young queen, the male drones die off as well. Generally, young queens and drones from the same nest do not mate with each other; this ensures more genetic variation within wasp populations, especially considering that all members of the colony are theoretically the direct genetic descendants of the founder queen and a single male drone. In practice, however, colonies can sometimes consist of the offspring of several male drones. Wasp queens generally (but not always) create new nests each year, probably because the weak construction of most nests render them uninhabitable after the winter. Binomial name Polistes dominulus Christ, 1791 Polistes dominulus, sometimes referred to as the European paper wasp, is one of the more common and well-known species of social wasps in Europe; for many years, the species was known as Polistes gallicus, a name which was incorrectly attributed. ... Fertility is the natural capability of giving life. ... The reproduction of many organisms follows a cyclical pattern, known as the reproductive cycle, which regulates the conception and birth of offspring. ... Genetic variation is the variation in the genetic material of a population, and includes the nuclear, mitochodrial, ribosomal genomes as well as the genomes of other organelles. ...

Unlike most honey bee queens, wasp queens typically only live for one year (although exceptions are possible). Also, contrary to popular belief queen wasps do not organize their colony or have any raised status and hierarchical power within the social structure. They are more simply the reproductive element of the colony and the initial builder of the nest in those species which construct nests. A hierarchy (in Greek: , derived from — hieros, sacred, and — arkho, rule) is a system of ranking and organizing things or people, where each element of the system (except for the top element) is a subordinate to a single other element. ...

Wasp caste structure

Sand wasp (Bembix oculata, family Crabronidae) removing body fluids from a fly after having paralysed it with the sting

Not all social wasps have castes that are physically different in size and structure. In many polistine paper wasps and stenogastrines, for example, the castes of females are determined behaviorally, through dominance interactions, rather than having caste predetermined. All female wasps are potentially capable of becoming a colony's queen and this process is often determined by which female successfully lays eggs first and begins construction of the nest. Evidence suggests that females compete amongst each other by eating the eggs of other rival females. The queen may, in some cases, simply be the female that can eat the largest volume of eggs while ensuring that her own eggs survive (often achieved by laying the most). This process theoretically determines the strongest and most reproductively capable female and selects her as the queen. Once the first eggs have hatched, the subordinate females stop laying eggs and instead forage for the new queen and feed the young; that is, the competition largely ends, with the losers becoming workers, though if the dominant female dies, a new hierarchy may be established with a former "worker" acting as the replacement queen. Polistine nests are considerably smaller than many other social wasp nests, typically housing only around 250 wasps, compared to the several thousand common with yellowjackets, and stenogastrines have the smallest colonies of all, rarely with more than a dozen wasps in a mature colony. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 721 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1619 × 1347 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 721 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1619 × 1347 pixel, file size: 1. ... Genera Bembecinus Bembix Bicyrtes Editha Glenostictia Microbembex Stictiella Stictia Zyzzyx, etc. ... Genera Many, see text Crabronidae (Latreille, 1802) is a family of wasps. ... Polistes wasp, common name- Paper wasp. ...

Nesting habits

A young paper wasp queen founding a new colony

A wasp gathering wood fibers

Various wasp nests

The type of nest produced by wasps can depend on the species and location. Many social wasps produce paper pulp nests on trees, in attics, holes in the ground or other such sheltered areas with access to the outdoors. By contrast solitary wasps are generally parasitic or predatory and only the latter build nests at all. Unlike honey bees, wasps have no wax producing glands. Many instead create a paper-like substance primarily from wood pulp. Wood fibers are gathered locally from weathered wood, softened by chewing and mixing with saliva. The pulp is then used to make combs with cells for brood rearing. More commonly, nests are simply burrows excavated in a substrate (usually the soil, but also plant stems), or, if constructed, they are constructed from mud. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 471 pixelsFull resolution (1460 × 860 pixel, file size: 608 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A wasp gathering wood fibers File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 471 pixelsFull resolution (1460 × 860 pixel, file size: 608 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A wasp gathering wood fibers File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 700 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1400 × 1200 pixel, file size: 467 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) These are various wasp nests in my personal collection. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 700 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1400 × 1200 pixel, file size: 467 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) These are various wasp nests in my personal collection. ... The honeybee is a colonial insect that is often maintained, fed, and transported by farmers. ... For the rock song by Nirvana, see Beeswax (song). ... A gland is an organ in an animals body that synthesizes a substance for release such as hormones, often into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland). ...

Solitary wasps

The nesting habits of solitary wasps are more diverse than those of social wasps. Mud daubers and pollen wasps construct mud cells in sheltered places typically on the side of walls. Potter wasps similarly build vase-like nests from mud, often with multiple cells, attached to the twigs of trees or against walls. Most other predatory wasps burrow into soil or into plant stems, and a few do not build nests at all and prefer naturally occurring cavities, such as small holes in wood. A single egg is laid in each cell, which is sealed thereafter, so there is no interaction between the larvae and the adults, unlike in social wasps. In some species, male eggs are selectively placed on smaller prey, leading to males being generally smaller than females. Families Some Sphecidae and Crabronidae Mud dauber (sometimes dirt dauber or dirt dobber in the southern U.S.) is a name commonly applied to a number of wasps from either the family Sphecidae or Crabronidae that build their nests from mud. ... Genera Celonites Ceramius Quartinia Pseudomasaris >10 others Pollen wasps are unusual wasps that are typically treated as a subfamily of Vespidae, but have in the past sometimes been recognized as a separate family, Masaridae. ... Genera many (>200) Potter wasps (or mason wasps)also known as Dirt daubers are cosmopolitan wasps that are typically treated as a subfamily of Vespidae, but have in the past sometimes been recognized as a separate family, Eumenidae. ...

Social wasps

The nests of some social wasps, such as hornets, are first constructed by the queen and reach about the size of a walnut before sterile female workers take over construction. The queen initially starts the nest by making a single layer or canopy and working outwards until she reaches the edges of the cavity. Beneath the canopy she constructs a stalk to which she can attach several cells; these cells are where the first eggs will be laid. The queen then continues to work outwards to the edges of the cavity after which she adds another tier. This process is repeated, each time adding a new tier until eventually enough female workers have been born and matured to take over construction of the nest leaving the queen to focus on reproduction. For this reason, the size of a nest is generally a good indicator of approximately how many female workers there are in the colony. Social wasp colonies often have populations exceeding several thousand female workers and at least one queen. Polistes and some related types of paper wasp do not construct their nests in tiers but rather in flat single combs. Wasps of the cosmopolitan genus Polistes are the most familiar of the polistine wasps, and are the most common type of paper wasp. ...

Common families

• Agaonidae - fig wasps
• Chalcididae
• Chrysididae - cuckoo wasps
• Crabronidae - sand wasps and relatives, e.g. the Cicada killer wasp
• Cynipidae - gall wasps
• Encyrtidae
• Eulophidae
• Eupelmidae
• Ichneumonidae, and Braconidae
• Mutillidae - velvet ants
• Mymaridae - fairyflies
• Pompilidae - spider wasps
• Pteromalidae
• Scelionidae
• Scoliidae - scoliid wasps
• Sphecidae - digger wasps
• Tiphiidae - flower wasps
• Torymidae
• Trichogrammatidae
• Vespidae - yellowjackets, hornets, paper wasps (umbrella), potter wasps, pollen wasps

Genera Many, see text. ... Subfamilies Agaoninae Epichrysomallinae Otitesellinae Sycoecinae Sycophaginae Sycoryctinae Fig wasps are wasps of the family Agaonidae which pollinate figs or are otherwise associated with figs. ... Diversity 5 subfamilies c. ... Subfamilies Amiseginae Chrysidinae Cleptinae Loboscelidiinae Commonly known as cuckoo wasps, the Hymenopteran family Chrysididae is a very large cosmopolitan group (over 3000 described species) of parasitoid or cleptoparasitic wasps, often highly sculptured, with brilliantly metallic bodies and bright coloration (thus the common names jewel wasp, gold wasp, or emerald wasp... Subfamilies Amiseginae Chrysidinae Cleptinae Loboscelidiinae Commonly known as cuckoo wasps, the Hymenopteran family Chrysididae is a very large cosmopolitan group (over 3000 described species) of parasitoid or cleptoparasitic wasps, often highly sculptured, with brilliantly metallic bodies and bright coloration (thus the common names jewel wasp, gold wasp, or emerald wasp... Genera Many, see text Crabronidae (Latreille, 1802) is a family of wasps. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... ... Gall wasps (Cynipidae), also called Gallflies, are a family of the order Hymenoptera and are classified with the Apocrita suborder of wasps in the superfamily Cynipoidea. ... Diversity 2 subfamilies c. ... Diversity 5 subfamilies c. ... Diversity 3 subfamilies c. ... Subfamilies Lycorininae Orthopelmatinae Orthocentrinae Tersilochinae Microleptinae Mesochorinae Xoridinae Acaenitinae Ophioninae Anomaloninae Cremastinae Porizontinae Diplazontinae Metopiinae Scolobatinae Tryphoninae Banchinae Ephialtinae (=Pimplinae) Gelinae (=Crytinae) Ichneumoninae The Ichneumonidae is a family of the Ichneumonoidea Categories: Insect stubs ... Subfamilies Adeliinae Agathidinae Alysiinae Amicrocentrinae Aphidiinae Apozyginae Betylobraconinae Blacinae Braconinae Cardiochilinae Cenocoeliinae Cheloninae Dirrhopinae Doryctinae Ecnomiinae Euphorinae Exothecinae Gnamptodontinae Helconinae Histeromerinae Homolobinae Hormiinae Khoikhoiiinae Ichneutinae Macrocentrinae Masoninae Mendesellinae Mesostoinae Meteorideinae Meteorinae Microgastrinae Microtypinae Miracinae Neoneurinae Opiinae Orgilinae Pselaphaninae Rhyssalinae Rogadinae Sigalphinae Telengaiinae Trachypetinae Vaepellinae Ypsistocerinae Xiphozelinae Braconidae is a family... Subfamilies Mutillinae Myrmillinae Myrmosinae Pseudophotopsidinae Rhopalomutillinae Sphaeropthalminae Ticoplinae Mutillidae or velvet ants, also known as cow killers, are not actually ants but a type of wasp. ... Subfamilies Mutillinae Myrmillinae Myrmosinae Pseudophotopsidinae Rhopalomutillinae Sphaeropthalminae Ticoplinae Mutillidae or velvet ants, also known as cow killers, are not actually ants but a type of wasp. ... Diversity 0-2 subfamilies c. ... Diversity 0-2 subfamilies c. ... Genera many (35 in North America)   Spider wasps, also called pompilid wasps or spider-hunting wasps, are insects belonging to a diverse family named Pompilidae, of the order Hymenoptera. ... Subfamilies Ceropalinae Ctenocerinae Pepsinae Pompilinae Wasps in the family Pompilidae are commonly called wasp spiders. ... Diversity 15-28 subfamilies c. ... Subfamilies Scelioninae Teleasinae Telenominae The Hymenopteran family Scelionidae is a very large cosmopolitan group (over 3000 described species in some 160 genera) of exclusively parasitoid wasps, mostly small (0. ... Subfamilies Scoliinae Proscoliinae Scoliidae, the Scoliid wasps, are represented by 20 genera and about the same number of species in North America. ... Subfamilies Scoliinae Proscoliinae Scoliidae, the Scoliid wasps, are represented by 20 genera and about the same number of species in North America. ... Subfamilies Ammophilinae Sceliphrinae Sphecinae Sphecidae blocking its burrow with a stone Sphecidae (Latreille, 1802) is a cosmopolitan family of wasps that include digger wasps, mud daubers and other familiar types that all fall under the category of thread-waisted wasps. ... Species of Sphex numerous Sphex is a genus of insects in the Family Sphecidae, order Hymenoptera. ... Genera Diamma Myzinum Tiphia (etc. ... Genera Diamma Myzinum Tiphia (etc. ... Torymidae is a family of wasps that consists of rather slender species. ... Genera ca. ... Genera The vespids are a family of wasps, including all social wasps and some solitary wasps. ... Yellowjacket or yellow-jacket is the common name in North America for wasps of the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula. ... This article refers collectively to all true hornets. ... In this image of a female Polistes wasp tending to a nest, a long, black petiole, by which the nest is attached to the branch, is quite apparent. ... Genera many (>200) Potter wasps (or mason wasps)also known as Dirt daubers are cosmopolitan wasps that are typically treated as a subfamily of Vespidae, but have in the past sometimes been recognized as a separate family, Eumenidae. ... Genera Celonites Ceramius Quartinia Pseudomasaris >10 others Pollen wasps are unusual wasps that are typically treated as a subfamily of Vespidae, but have in the past sometimes been recognized as a separate family, Masaridae. ...

See also

• Advertising colouration
• Common wasp
• Parasitic wasps, a diverse group of wasps
• Characteristics of common wasps and bees
• Volucella pellucens
• Mud daubers, a common group of wasps
• Bee-eaters, bird predators of wasps
• Tarantula hawk

The wasp black and yellow warn that she carries a sting Advertising colouration is a biological phase denoting the colours developed by certain animals to make them stand out against their background. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) The common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) is a wasp found in much of the Northern Hemisphere, and introduced to Australia and New Zealand. ... The term parasitic wasp refers to a large, artificial assemblage of Hymenopteran superfamilies which are primarily parasitoids of other animals, mostly other arthropods. ... While easily confusable at a distance or without close observation, there are many different characteristics of bees and wasps which can be used to identify them. ... Binomial name Volucella pellucens (Linnaeus, 1758) Volucella pellucens is a hover-fly. ... Families Some Sphecidae and Crabronidae Mud dauber (sometimes dirt dauber or dirt dobber in the southern U.S.) is a name commonly applied to a number of wasps from either the family Sphecidae or Crabronidae that build their nests from mud. ... Genera Nyctyornis Meropogon Merops The bee-eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae. ... Genera Pepsis Hemipepsis The tarantula hawk is the common name for species in the genera Pepsis and Hemipepsis of the family Pompilidae, in the insect Order Hymenoptera. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Wasp

• A pictorial life cycle of organ pipe wasps
• Links to many parasitic wasps and other insects used for biological control
• Phylogeny of the order Hymenoptera contrasting the groups discussed in this article
• Medline Encyclopedia N.I.H. - Insect bites and stings, and a section regarding how to prevent them (prevention)
• DermNet arthropods/bites

• Waspweb