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Aculeata
bees, wasps and ants
Aculeata contains many of our best-known and best-loved insects and has been the most studied among the Hymenoptera though, surprisingly, no modern keys exist to perhaps the most obvious group – solitary bees. However, the old keys can be made to work for most insects once the names have been unravelled and reconciled with the latest classification. A series of new books have been published in recent times providing up-to-date information on the latest findings. Under the aegis of the Ray Society a major two volume book 'Handbook of the Bees of the British Isles' has transformed scientific knowledge of this group. While Falk and Lewingtons Bees of Great Britain and Ireland has brought a fresh look to studying them. The whole group has been studied with great intensity by members of 'The Bees, Wasps & Ants Recording Scheme (BWARS)', who have produced, in conjunction with the Biological Recording Scheme (BRC), a series of atlases covering virtually all the species of aculeates.
SUB-ORDER APOCRITA (ACULEATA) – bees, wasps, ants
SUPER FAMILY / Family
CHRYSIDOIDEA
Dryinidae – solitary wasps, Pseudogonalos
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Embolemidae - solitary wasps, Embolemus
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Bethylidae - solitary wasps, Anteon, Dryinus, Gonatopus, Haplogonatopus, Lonchodryinus, Mystrophus
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Chrysididae – cuckoo or Jewel-wasps, Chrysis, Chrysura, Cleptes, Elampus, Hedychridium, Hedychrum, Omalus, Philoctetes, Pseudomalus, Pseudospinola, Trichrysis
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VESPOIDEA
Tiphiidae – solitary wasps, Methoca, Tiphia
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Mutillidae – velvet ants, Mutilla, Myrmosa, Smicroyme
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Sapygidae – solitary wasps, Monosapyga, Sapyga
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Formicidae – ants, Anergates, Formica, Formicoxenus, Lasius, Leptothorax, Myrmica, Myrmicena, Ponera, Solenopsis, Strongylognathus, Tapinoma, Temnothorax, Tetramorium
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Pompylidae - spider-hunter wasps, Agenioides, Anoplius, Aporinellus, Arachnospila, Auplopus, Caliadurgus, Ceropales, Cryptocheilus, Dipagon, Episyron, Evagetes, Homonotus, Pompilius, Priocnemis
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Eumenidae – potter & mason wasps, Ancistrocerus, Eumenes, Euodynerus, Gymnomerus, Microdynerus, Odynerus, Pseudepipona, Symmorphus
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Vespidae – social wasps, Dolichovespula, Vespa, Vespula
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Sphecidae – digger wasps, Ammophila, Argorytes, Astata, Bembix, Cerceris, Crabro, Crossocerus, Didneis, Diodontus, Dryudella, Ectemnius, Harpactus, Hoplisoides, Lestica, Mellinus, Gorytes, Lestiphorus, Mimesa, Mimumesa, Miscophus, Nitela, Nysson, Oxybelus, Passaloecus, Pemphredon, Philanthus, Podalonia, Psen, Psenulus, Rhopalum, Sphex, Spilomena, Stigmus, Tachysphex, Trypoxylon
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APOIDEA - bees, Andrenidae, Apidae, Colletidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae, Mellitidae
Andrenidae - Mining bees, Andrena, Panurgus
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Apidae - Anthophora, Apis, Bombus, Ceratina, Epeolus, Eucera, Melecta, Nomada, Xylocopa
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Colletidae – mining & solitary bees, Colletes, Hylaeus
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Halictidae – mining & cuckoo bees, Dufourea, Halictus, Lasioglossum, Sphecodes
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Megachilidae – leaf-cutter, carder & solitary bees, Anthidium, Chelostoma, Coelioxys, Heriades, Hoplitis, Megachile, Osmia, Stelis
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Melittidae – mining bees, Dasypoda, Macropis, Melitta
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