Miscoupling-speciation
Guides
Thynnidae
thynnid wasps, flower wasps, thynnid flower wasps
Thynnidae is a family of solitary wasps formerly classified within Tiphiidae but now recognized as a distinct lineage based on molecular and morphological studies. Adults feed on nectar and function as minor pollinators, with some species involved in specialized pollination systems including orchid sexual deception. Larvae are parasitoids, primarily attacking scarab beetle larvae (Scarabaeoidea), though some species parasitize tiger beetle larvae (Cicindelinae) and other hosts including bees and ants. The family exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism: in many subfamilies, females are wingless and fossorial while males are winged and aerial.