Insects Order hymenoptera

Bees, wasps

1. Order : Hymenoptera Prepared by Dr. S. Sumaiya

2. ORDER HYMENOPTERA Etymology: Hymen – membrane; Ptera – wings Hymeno – god or marriage; Ptera – wings, (Marriage on the wings) (union of fore and hind wings by hamuli ) Common names: Ichneumonflies , ants, bees, wasps Order characters Mouthparts-chewing- Mandibles -very well developed- In bees both labium and maxillae- integrated to form lapping tongue Thorax- modified for efficient flight: Pronotum - collar like; Mesothorax -enlarged; Metathorax -small- Both prothorax and metathorax -fused with mesothorax

3. Characters Wings-stiff and membranous- FW- larger than HW- Wing venation-reduced- FW and HW-coupled by a row of hooklets ( hamuli )- on leading edge of HW1 Abdomen-basally constricted 1 st abdominal segment- propodeum -fused with metathorax -first pair of a abdominal spiracles -located in propodeum- 2 nd segment-pedicel-connects thorax and abdomen- Abdomen beyond pedicel - gaster or metasoma Ovipositor-modified for oviposition or stinging or sawing or piercing plant tissue ORDER HYMENOPTERA

4. Order characters Metamorphosis- complete- grub- apodous and eucephalous -rarely eruciform pupa- exarate -enclosed in a silken cocoon secreted from labial glands Sex-determined by fertilization of the eggs Fertilized eggs develop into females-males produced from unfertilized eggs Males haploid and females diploid Hymenoptera

5. TWO SUB-ORDERS S. No SYMPHYTA ( Chalastogastra ) APOCRITA ( Clistogastra ) 1 Abdomen-broadly joined to thorax Abdomen- petiolated 2 Larva- caterpillar and belongs to eruciform type Larva-grub and belongs to apodous eucephalous type 3 Stemmata- present Stemmata absent 4 Both thoracic and abdominal legs - present Legs absent 5 Ovipositor-saw like and suited for piercing plant tissue Ovipositor – not saw like, suited for piercing in parasitic groups or for stinging in other groups 6 Behavioral sophistication- less Behavioural sophistication- more 7 Phytophagous Generally parasitic

6. Sub-Order Symphyta Family TENTHREDINIDAE: (Sawflies) Wasp like insects Abdomen-broadly joined to thorax Ovipositor-saw toothed- suited for slicing plant tissue Larva- eruciform - resembles a lepidopteran caterpillar- one pair of ocelli, papillae (reduced antenna), three pairs of thoracic legs and 6-8 pairs of abdominal legs- Prolegs lack crockets External feeders on foliage- Larvae while feeding have posterior part of body coiled over edge of the leaf Mustard sawfly: Athalia lugens proxima -defoliator on mustard and cruciferous vegetables

7. Sub-Order APOCRITA Family ICHNEMONIDAE: ( Ichneumonflies ) Adults- diurnal and visit flowers; Fore wing- two recurrent veins Petiole-curved and expanded at the apex; Sternites of the gaster -membranous Ovipositor- arising anterior to tip of abdomen- longer than body and exerted out permanently Larvae-mostly parasites-less frequently hyperparasites Solitary parasites- spin cocoons in or outside host Eg . Eriborus trochanteratus - an exotic larval parasite of BHC

8. Sub-Order APOCRITA Family BRACONIDAE: (Braconid wasps) Small, stout bodied insects; Fore wings -one recurrent vein Petiole-neither curved nor expanded at the apex; Gaster -sessile or subsessile ; Sternites of gaster - partly membranous Abdomen-as long as head and thorax together Parasitize lepidopteran larvae-gregarious parasites; poly embryony Pupation in silken cocoons-externally on host or away from host in groups Eg . Bracon brevicornis : It is mass multiplied and released for BHC

9. Sub-Order APOCRITA Family BETHYLIDAE: Ant like, black coloured wasps Females of many species - wingless Goniozus nephantidis : Specific larval parasite on coconut BHC Family CHALCIDIDAE: Small to medium sized insects Hind coxae -five to six times larger than fore coxae Hind tibial spurs -larger than mid tibial spurs Ovipositor- short and straight Eg . Brachymeria sp. -pupal parasite on coconut BHC

10. Family EULOPHIDAE: Minute pupal parasites Fore wing-narrower with pubescence on wing lamina-Hairs- not arranged in rows Ovipositor-present at tip of abdomen Eg . Tetrastichus israeli : Gregarious pupal parasite -control of coconut BHC Sub-Order APOCRITA

11. Family TRICHOGRAMMATIDAE: Very tiny insects (0.3 to 1.0 mm long)- Tarsus-3 to 4 segmented Fore wing-broad with pubescence (microscopic hairs) in rows Hind wings-reduced and fringed with hairs along margins Egg parasites on lepidopteran insects Eg . Trichogramma sp. -biological control of sugarcane moth borers Sub-Order APOCRITA

12. Family EVANIIDAE: (Ensign wasps) Petiole- long and abrupt Gaster - short, compressed and attached to propodeum by slender petiole- carried almost like a flag Parasitic on ootheca of cockroaches Sub-Order APOCRITA

13. Family ENCYRTIDAE: ( Encyrtid wasp) Small insect 1-2mm in length Mesopleuron- small and concave Egg parasitoid Polyembryony Example: Encarsia formosa on green house whitefly and Leptomastis dactylopia on Planococcus citri Sub-Order APOCRITA

14. Family AGAONIDAE: (Fig wasp) Male- apterous and female -winged Female- long ovipositor Forelegs and hindlegs - stout, Middle legs- slender Live inside fig receptacles and pollinate and fractify flowers. Eg . Blastophaga pesenes develops in the capri fig (wild) and pollinates Smyrna fig (edible cultivated fig) Sub-Order APOCRITA

15. Family VESPIDAE: (Yellow jackets, hornets) Abdomen -conical Construct nest with ‘wasp paper’ a substance made from fragments of chewed wood mixed with saliva Solitary or social wasps Generally predaceous on Lepidopteran caterpillars-paralyze caterpillars -store in cells of nests- Eg . Yellow banded wasp Vespa cincta - a bee enemy Sub-Order APOCRITA

16. Family SPHECIDAE: ( Thread wasted wasp, digger wasp, mud dauber) Lateral extensions of pronotum form rounded lobes Petiole- slender Nests- constructed by using mud or dug out in ground- use insects and spiders to provision their nests Eggs-laid on paralyzed or killed host Sub-Order APOCRITA

17. Family FORMICIDAE: (Ants) Common widespread insects Antennae- geniculate Mandibles- well developed-Wings- present in sexually mature forms- Petiole- one or two spines Social insects with three castes viz., queen, males and workers Workers-sterile females-form bulk of colony Exchange of food materials between adults and immature insects-common Egg laying is started after divesting wings- Queen not forage for food- only mating and egg laying Many species -established symbiotic relationship with homopteran insects Sub-Order APOCRITA

18. Family APIDAE: (Honey bees) Body-covered with branching or plumose hairs Mouthparts-chewing and lapping type Mandibles-suited for crushing and shaping wax for building combs Legs-specialized for pollen collection- Scopa (pollen basket) -present on hind tibia Social insects with three castes viz., queen, drone and workers- Temporal separation of duties- noticed among workers Indian honey bee: Apis indica - a productive insect Sub-Order APOCRITA

19. Family MEGACHILIDAE: (Leaf cutter bees) Solitary bees- Mandibles- sharp and scissors like Pollen gathering hairs (scopa) present on venter of abdomen Cut circular or crescent shaped pieces of leaves of rose, Redgram Cut pieces of leaves used for preparing leaf lined cells-provision for brood (mixture of pollen mixed with honey) Rose leaf cutter bee: Megachile anthracena - pest on rose and red gram Sub-Order APOCRITA

20. Family XYLOCOPIDAE: (Carpenter bees) Large, robust bees- Dorsum of abdomen- bare Pollen baskets- absent in hind legs- But brushes of hairs present on hind legs Build nests in dead logs and in live Adults- not aggressive and not sting- visit flowers and take nectar by simply biting through base of flower instead of sipping form the top Sub-Order APOCRITA