Apoidea

Definition

A superfamily of Hymenoptera comprising the bees (Anthophila) and the spheciform wasps, including families such as Apidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae, Andrenidae, Colletidae, Sphecidae, and Crabronidae. Molecular phylogenetics has shown that bees evolved from within the crabronid wasps, rendering the former group 'Sphecoidea' paraphyletic and leading to the current circumscription that unites these lineages. Members exhibit diverse nesting strategies from solitary burrowing to complex eusocial colonies.

Etymology

From Latin Apis (honey bee) + -oidea (resembling)

Example

The honey bee Apis mellifera and the great golden digger wasp Sphex ichneumoneus both belong to Apoidea, illustrating the superfamily's span from highly eusocial pollinators to solitary hunting wasps.

Synonyms

• Apoidea (superfamily)

Related Terms

• Hymenoptera
• Anthophila
• Apidae
• Halictidae
• Megachilidae
• Sphecidae
• Crabronidae
• Colletidae
• Andrenidae
• Sphecoidea
• Aculeata
• Pollen basket
• eusocial

Usage Notes

The composition of Apoidea has shifted significantly with molecular systematics. Formerly, 'sphecoid' wasps were placed in separate superfamily Sphecoidea, but this grouping is now recognized as paraphyletic because bees nest within Crabronidae. The superfamily is therefore broader than bees alone, though bees remain its most species-rich and ecologically dominant component. In some older literature, Apoidea may be used more narrowly for bees specifically; context should be checked.