Types of Wasps
| Types of Wasps and Bees Braconid Wasps Cuckoo Wasp Ichneumon Sawflies Cimbicid Sawflies: Trichiosoma Types of Bees Apoid Wasps Sphecidae Family Ammophila Blue Mud Wasp Grass Carrying Wasps Isodontia mexicana Mud Daubers Great Golden Digger Wasp (Sphex) Sphex Lucae Crabronidae Family Beewolves Bembix Bembix Americana Square-headed Wasp Steniolia Vespoidea Paper Wasps (Polistes) Polistes aurifer Polistes canadensis Polistes comanchus navajoe Polistes instabilis Other Vespoidea Bald-faced Hornet Pollen Wasp Spider Wasp: Aporus Spider Wasp: Priocnemis Sapygid Wasps Tarantula Hawk Western Paper Wasp Yellowjackets |
Hymenoptera taxonomy constantly changes to reflect scientific consensus regarding the proper way to categorize such a large group of insects. Traditionally the presence or absence of a constricted waste served as a key taxonomic differentiation device, with the sawflies and woodwasps relegated to the non-constricted waist suborder (Symphyta) and all other species relegated to the constricted waist suborder (Apocrita).
Categorical subtleties aside, practical interest in the different types of wasps often deals with identifying species that sting and/or build nests in and around residential areas.
Adopting this practical perspective, the album emphasizes wasps species belonging to two large groups or superfamilies:
- Apoid Wasps - a large group of wasps related to bees
- Vespoidea Wasps - a large group of wasps related to ants
In the Apoid group the sphecid wasps rank among the most easy to identify. Their long, thin waists give them the common name thread-waisted wasps. Five of the eleven sphecid genera are represented here:
- Ammophilia
- Chalybion (Blue Mud Wasp)
- Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasps)
- Mud Daubers
- Digger Wasps in the genus Sphex.
Beewwolves, Bembix, Square-headed wasps and Steniolia represent four genera of common Crabronidae, the largest Apoid family.
Within the superfamily Vespoidae, perhaps the Vespid wasps (family Vespidae) pose the greatest concern to humans because of their habit of building nests in residential areas. Of specific concern is the fact that Vespid species tend to sting (multiple times) as a defensive mechanism, when their nests are threatened.
The Bald-faced Hornet, Paper Wasps (Polistes), the Western Paper Wasp and Yellow Jackets are examples of other common vespids found around residential areas.
Pompilidae or spider wasps also belong to the same superfamily (Vespoidea). Please click on a link in the box on the right to learn more about any species.
© 2005-2009 Patricia A. Michaels