Wasp

A wasp is any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is not a bee or an ant. Less familiar, the suborder Symphyta includes the sawflies and wood wasps, which differ from the Apocrita by having a broad connection between the thorax and abdomen. Also, Symphyta larvae are mostly herbivorous and "caterpillarlike", whereas the Apocrita are largely predatory or parasitic.

Most familiar wasps belong to the Aculeata, a division of the Apocrita whose ovipositors are modified into a venomous stinger that includes ants and bees. In this sense, the species called "velvet ants" (Mutilidae) are actually wasps.

A narrower meaning of the term wasp is any member of the Aculeate family Vespidae. This includes the yellowjackets (Vespula, Dolichovespula spp.) and hornets (Vespa spp.).

Table of contents

1 Characteristics 2 Some Wasp Families 3 External links

Characteristics

The following characteristics are present in most wasps:

• Two pairs of wings (exception: female Mutillidae)
• A stinger (in females)
• Few or no hairs (in contrast to bees); exception: Mutillidae
• Predators or parasitoids, mostly on other insects; some (e.g. Pompilidae) specialize in spiders

Wasps are critically important in natural biocontrol. There is a wasp species that is predator or parasite upon almost every pest insect species. Wasps are also increasingly used in agricultural pest control.

See also: how to tell bees from wasps

Some Wasp Families

• Vespidae Yellowjackets, hornets, etc.
• Scoliidae Scoliid wasps
• Mutillidae - velvet 'ants'
• Sphecidae - digger wasps
• Pompilidae - spider wasps
• Chrysididae - cuckoo wasps

External links

• [1] a pictoral life cycle of organ pipe wasps
• [1] ''links to many parasitic wasps and other insects used for biological control
• [1] ''phylogeny of the order Hymenoptera contrasting the groups discussed in this article

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The term sea wasp designates a number of species of jellyfish, including the deadly box jellyfish.

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See also:

• WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant)
• W.A.S.P (1980s heavy metal band)