Common Wasps, Bees, and Ants (Order Hymenoptera) in the Wichita Mountains and Surrounding Areas Angel Chiri claws. Most species are predaceous or parasitic Entomologist on other arthropods. Hymenopterans undergo a complete metamorphosis that consists of the Introduction egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. Three of the four groups of social insects, the ants (Family The order Hymenoptera is divided into the Formicidae), the social wasps (Family suborders Symphyta (sawflies) and Apocrita Vespidae), and the social bees (Family Apidae) (ants, bees, and wasps). In sawflies the belong in this order. The termites (Order abdomen is broadly joined to the thorax. Most Isoptera) make up the fourth group of social sawfly larvae feed externally on plant foliage insects. Note that a family name always ends in and look and behave like small caterpillars, but "ae." have two conspicuous simple eyes (ocelli), whereas caterpillars have several minute ocelli The scientific name of a plant or animal consists on each side of the head. Sawfly larvae have six of the genus and species, written in italics. The to eight pairs of prolegs (false legs), whereas genus is writen in full the first time that it is true caterpillars have no more than five pairs of mentioned in a paper (e.g. Apis mellifera). prolegs. Some sawfly larvae are wood or stem Thereafter, the genus name is abbreviated to its borers. In these larvae the thoracic legs are initial (e.g. A. mellifera). If another genus with atrophied and the prolegs absent. the same initial is discussed in the same section, both genera are spelled out to avoid confusion. In the suborder Apocrita (ants, bees, and wasps) the first abdominal segment is fused to the Less than 2% of known insect species in the thorax and is called the propodeum. The second U.S. have approved common names. Relying on (or second and third in some ants) abdominal only common names for a given species may segment is constricted and forms petiole or lead to confusion, since more than one common "waist" associated with wasps. The larvae are name may exist for the same species, or the legless, lack a well-developed head (see Fig. same name may be used for more than one 26), and depend on the adults for nourishment species. Using the scientific name, which is the and survival. The females in some families have same in any language or region, eliminates this a stinger and venom glands. This guide covers problem. Furthermore, only scientific names are only hymenopterans in the suborder Apocrita. used in the scientific literature. Hymenopterans have two pairs of membranous Common names are not capitalized. There are wings. The posterior wings are smaller than the some 18,000 species of hymenopterans recorded anterior wings and have a row of minute hooks in the U.S. and Canada. This guide mentions along their anterior border that attach to the only a few of the more common and noticeable posterior border of the anterior wings. The legs hymenopterans found in our area. consist of six articulated segments: the coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia, tarsus, and pretarsus or All photos in this guide were taken by the author using a Canon PowerShot SX110 IS camera. 1 Family Ichneumonidae (ichneumonid wasps) Family Chalcididae The ichneumonids are part of a vast guild of Chalcid wasps are small, rather stocky parasitic parasitic wasp families that attack every wasps, mostly ¼ inch or less in length . The developmental stage of most insects, including hind femora are enlarged and the hind tibia are other parasitic species. Hosts of ichneumonids distinctly arched (Fig. 2). Their hosts are mainly include caterpillars, beetle larvae, spider eggs, larvae and pupae of Lepidoptera, Diptera, and and sawfly larvae, especially those that develop Coleoptera. Brachymeria females parasitize in wood. Most species are thin, with a small only blowfly and flesh fly larvae (maggots), head and a filiform antennae that is at least half which are the first insects to colonize fresh as long as the body. Many females have a long, carrion. The chalcid larva develops inside the flexible, and permanently exposed ovipositor, maggot, which continues to feed and develop, which is often longer than the body. As other and eventually pupates. The chalcid larva parasitic wasps, ichneumonids lack a stinger. pupates inside the maggot, but emerges from the fly pupa. Ophion sp. (Fig. 1) is slender, ¾ - 1 inch long, with a long, laterally compressed abdomen, short ovipositor, and long, thin antennae and legs. These wasps are often attracted to outdoor lights. Ophion wasps are internal parasitoids of scarab larvae that live buried in the soil, including those species commonly known as white grubs. An egg is inserted in a host and, after hatching, the larva feeds internally on the host's tissues. Parasitized hosts do not die and may continue feeding. Once it is fully developed the larva emerges from the dying host and pupates in the soil. Figure 2. Chalcid wasp, Brachymeria sp., exploring deer mouse carcass The wasp in Fig. 2 seems to be searching for fly maggots on a dead deer mouse, Peromyscus sp. The fresh mouse carcass had also attracted blowflies, but at this early stage there were no maggots present yet. Family Chrysididae (cuckoo wasps) These small (¼ - ½ inch) wasps are never abundant, but when present their brilliant Figure 1. Ichneumonid wasp, Ophion sp. metallic green or blue coloration attract attention (Fig. 3). The body surface is hard and covered with minute pits that are best seen with a 10X magnifier. A third unique feature in these wasps 2 is their concave abdomen. When in danger, a short or almost absent. Females have a long cuckoo wasp can curve its body and fit its head stinger and will sting if handled. Length for and thorax tightly in the abdomen underside for most species ranges from ¼ to 1 inch. Velvet protection. Some sweat bees (Halictidae) are ants parasitize larvae and pupae of various bees also small and metallic green, but lack the pitted and wasps. The colorful red velvet ant, also surface and concave abdomen. Cuckoo wasps known as cow killer, Dasymutilla occidentalis parasitize the larvae of solitary bees and wasps. (Fig. 4) is ¾ inch long and one of the largest and most conspicuous mutillid in the area. Figure 3. A cuckoo wasp Figure 5. Dasymutilla sp. (possibly D. nigripes), female Family Mutillidae (velvet ants) Female velvet ants are wingless and resemble large true ants (Figs. 4 - 5). The males are winged and look more like wasps (Fig. 6). Figure 6. Dasymutilla sp., male Family Formicidae (ants) There are almost 700 species of ants in North America north of Mexico. Ants are social Figure 4. Red velvet ant, Dasymutilla occidentallis, insects. Their colonies consists of winged female queens, winged males, and wingless workers. Ants are found just about anywhere, and in large Velvet ants are often covered with short red, numbers. Their food habits are diverse, but orange, and black hairs, usually in contrasting most species are generalists and feed on dead patterns. In some species the hairs are white and 3 and live insects and carbohydrates, including from hundreds to thousands of individuals. nectar and honeydew. A few species grow fungi Their food consists of live and dead insects and for food. Harvester ants feed primarily on small carbohydrates, such as homopteran honeydew, seeds. Some species prey on agricultural pests, fruit, and nectar. A few species, such as the thus contributing to their control. black carpenter ant, C. pennsylvanicus, may infest houses and other wooden structures and is The first step in identifying an ant at subfamily considered a structural pest. level is determining whether the abdominal pedicel consists of one (petiole) or two (petiole + postpetiole) segments. Due to their small size, identifying most ants generally requires at least a 40X magnification and suitable taxonomic keys. However, the larger ants, such as the carpenter, harvester, and acrobat ants, may be identified to genus by sight or with the help of a 4X or 10X hand lens. Subfamily Formicinae The ants in this subfamily have a one-segmented Figure 7. Camponotus americanus major workers petiole and a lack a stinger Wood, forest, or field ants, Formica spp. Carpenter ants, Camponotus spp. Wood ants also have a single petiolar node, lack Camponotus americanus is one of several a stinger, and can squirt formic acid from the species of carpenter ants found in this region. acidopore for defense. If disturbed these active These ants are reddish, with a dark brown to ants will quickly retreat into their underground almost black head (Fig. 7). Carpenter ants are nest. Unlike carpenter ants, the workers are all polymorphic, mature colonies consisting of of similar length and proportion (monomorphic). workers of various sizes. The smaller workers are the minors and the largest ones the majors or Formica pallidefulva (Fig. 8) is locally common. soldiers. In some species, majors can be up to ½ inch in length, while minors are about half as long. Majors also have a disproportionally large head, powerful mandibles, and play a main role in colony defense. The pedicel consists of a single, upright scale-like node. Carpenter ants lack a stinger, but can squirt formic acid through the acidopore, a circular orifice bordered by a fringe of hairs and located at the tip of the abdomen. These ants generally make their nests in living and dead trees, usually in decaying wood in which galleries can be enlarged as the colony grows. Mature colonies may contain Figure 8. Wood ant worker, Formica pallidefulva 4 The workers are tan or dark yellow, relatively large (about ¼ inch in length), with long thin legs. Their food include small insects, as well as honeydew, nectar, and other sources of carbohydrates.