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; while a new set of keys is being developed by George Else as part of his new work, 'British Bees', under the aegis of the Ray Society
This group is being studied with great intensity at the present time through the Bees, Wasps & Ants Recording Scheme (BWARS)**. Annual weekends promote common interests, while a series of atlases are being produced in conjunction with the Biological Recording Scheme (BRC) and it is intended these will continue on a rolling basis for the future, leading to ever-improving knowledge of the changing status of individual species within the group.
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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