Hymenoptera

• Ants


  Formicidae

  • Petiole with a dorsal hump or two segments

  
• Pelecinid wasps


  Pelecinidae

  • Shining black, abdomen very long and cylindrical (females)
  • Petiole 1-segmented, without dorsal hump

  
• Yellow jackets, hornets and relatives

  Vespidae

  • Pronotum u/v shaped (upside down) from above
  • Wings tend to fold longitude

  
• Spider wasp


  Pompilidae

  • Pronotum not u/v shaped

  
• Horntails


  Siricidae

  • Front tibia with 1 spur; abdomen ending in a dorsal spine
  • Ones in lab were relatively large

  
• Cimbicid sawflies


  Cimbicidae

  • Front tibia with 2 spurs
  • Antenna clubbed

  
• Conifer sawflies


  Diprionidae

  • Front tibia with 2 spurs
  • Antennae filiform, serrate, or pectinate
  • Antennae with over 12 segments. Usually branched or sawtoothed in appearance

  
• Common sawflies


  Tenthredinidae

  • Front tibia with 2 spurs
  • Antennae filiform, serrate, or pectinate
  • Antennae 7-10 segmented, simple and threadlike

  
• Ichneumonid wasps


  Ichneumonoidea

  • Posterior trochanter double, with a seam in the middle; ovipositor pre-apical; antenna usually with >15 segments

  
• Thread-waisted wasps


  Sphecidae

  • Posterior trochanter single; ovipositor (sting) apical;antennae usually 12 or 13 segmented
  • Body without plumose hairs

  
• Cuckoo wasps


  Chrysididae

  • Abdomen concave; capable of rolling into a ball. Metallic and punctate
  • Front wing with stigma, and 3 or more closed cells. Body size variable, but usually >5mm

  
• Bees


  Apidae

  • Jugal lobe shorter than submedian cell
  • Fore wing with three submarginal cells on the hind tarsus
• Sweat bees and relatives

  Halictidae

  • Jugal lobe at least as long as submedian cell
  • Basal vein arched
• Andrenid bees


  Andrenidae

  Jugal lobe at least as long as submedian cell

  Basal vein straight

  Seconds recurrent vein straight
• Plasterer and yellow-faces bees 


  Colletidae

  • Jugal lobe at least as long as submedian cell
  • Basal vein straight
  • Second recurrent vein S-shaped or face yellow
• Leafcutter, mason bees and relatives


  Megachilidae

  • Jugal lobe at least as long as submedian cell
  • Fore wing with two submarginal cells, scopa usually present under the abdomen