Wasps
Guides
Saygorytes
Saygorytes is a genus of sand wasps in the family Crabronidae, established by Nemkov in 2007. The genus comprises approximately seven described species distributed in North America. Members are solitary wasps that visit sunflowers and other plants for nectar. They are part of the diverse community of wasps attracted to extrafloral nectaries on sunflowers in arid and disturbed habitats.
Setanta
Setanta is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, established by Cameron in 1901. The genus belongs to the diverse superfamily Ichneumonoidea, which contains thousands of species of parasitoid wasps. Members of this genus are part of the rich hymenopteran fauna of North America, with documented records from the northeastern United States.
Sierolomorpha
Sierolomorpha is the sole genus of Sierolomorphidae, a family of rare parasitoid wasps containing approximately 10 described species. These wasps are restricted to the Northern Hemisphere and are among the least known hymenopterans. Their biology remains largely undocumented due to their scarcity and the difficulty of locating specimens.
Sierolomorpha canadensis
Sierolomorpha canadensis is a species of sierolomorphid wasp described by Provancher in 1888. It belongs to the family Sierolomorphidae, a small and poorly known group of parasitoid wasps. The species is widely distributed across eastern North America. Very little is known about its biology or host associations.
Sphecomyia brevicornis
Short-horned Yellowjacket Fly
Sphecomyia brevicornis is a species of syrphid fly (flower fly) notable for its striking mimicry of yellowjacket wasps. It belongs to a small genus of wasp-mimicking flies that exhibit exceptional morphological convergence with vespid wasps. The species was described by Osten Sacken in 1877. Its specific epithet 'brevicornis' refers to the relatively short antennae compared to related species.
Spudaeus scaber
Spudaeus scaber is a species of ichneumon wasp in the family Ichneumonidae, first described by Gravenhorst in 1829. The genus Spudaeus belongs to the diverse and species-rich ichneumonid wasps, which are parasitoids that play important roles in regulating insect populations. The species has been recorded in Canada (Cypress Hills, Waterton) and parts of Europe (Norway, Sweden). Like other ichneumonids, it is presumed to be a parasitoid wasp, though specific host relationships for this species remain undocumented.
Stethantyx
Stethantyx is a genus of small parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Tersilochinae. Species in this genus are found in the Neotropical region, with documented records from Mexico through Central America and into South America, including the Western Amazonia region of Ecuador and Peru. The genus was established by Townes in 1971. Species are characterized by specific wing venation patterns, including the first and second abscissae of the radius meeting at a right angle in some species.
Stilpnina
Stilpnina is a subtribe of ichneumonid wasps within the family Ichneumonidae. Members of this subtribe belong to the tribe Stilpnini and are parasitoid wasps, though specific biological details remain poorly documented in published literature. The subtribe was established based on morphological characteristics that distinguish it from other stilpnine groups.
Temnostoma
Falsehorn Flies
Temnostoma is a genus of hoverflies (Syrphidae) renowned for their sophisticated Batesian mimicry of wasps. Adults possess overall morphological resemblance to hymenopterans, including darkened wing margins that mimic the folded wings of vespid wasps at rest. A distinctive behavioral adaptation involves waving the forelegs in front of the head to simulate wasp antennae. The genus comprises approximately 25 described species distributed across the Holarctic region, with larvae that are saproxylic—developing in wet, decaying wood where they feed on microorganisms.
Temnostoma obscurum
Hairy-winged Falsehorn
Temnostoma obscurum is a species of syrphid fly (flower fly) in the family Syrphidae. It belongs to a genus known for elaborate wasp mimicry, including darkened wing margins that resemble folded vespid wings and distinctive antennal-mimicking leg movements. The species is found in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. Like other Temnostoma species, it likely exhibits Batesian mimicry of solitary mason wasps (Eumeninae).
Thyridanthrax pallidus
Thyridanthrax pallidus is a species of bee fly in the family Bombyliidae, first described by Coquillett in 1887. The genus Thyridanthrax belongs to the subfamily Anthracinae and tribe Villini. Bee flies in this genus are known for their parasitic or kleptoparasitic life history strategies, with females depositing eggs into the nests of other insects. T. pallidus has been observed as a potential parasite of thread-waisted wasps in the genus Ammophila.
Tracheliodes
Tracheliodes is a genus of solitary wasps in the family Crabronidae. Species are distributed across Europe, Africa, and North America. The genus was established by A. Morawitz in 1866.
Winterschmidtiidae
Winterschmidtiidae is a family of over 140 mite species in the order Astigmata, distributed worldwide. The family comprises four subfamilies with distinct ecological specializations: Ensliniellinae associated with Hymenoptera (especially wasps and bees), Winterschmidtiinae with wood-boring beetles, Saproglyphinae with decaying materials and fungi, and Oulenziinae with leaves, vertebrate nests, and stored foods. Many species exhibit complex life cycles synchronized with insect hosts, including phoretic deutonymphs for dispersal and seasonal polymorphisms for environmental resistance.
Woldstedtius
Woldstedtius is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae. The genus was established by Carlson in 1979 and contains at least three described species. Species are distributed across Europe, Australia, and the Americas. As members of Ichneumonidae, they are presumed to be parasitoids of other insects, though specific host relationships remain poorly documented.
Xorides stigmapterus stigmapterus
Xorides stigmapterus stigmapterus is a subspecies of ichneumonid wasp in the genus Xorides. It belongs to a group of parasitoid wasps that attack wood-boring beetle larvae. The genus Xorides is part of the family Ichneumonidae, one of the largest families of Hymenoptera. Records indicate this subspecies occurs in Canada.
Zaglyptus
Zaglyptus is a genus of ichneumon wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, established by Förster in 1869. The genus contains at least 20 described species. As parasitoid wasps, members of this genus are presumed to develop by feeding on host arthropods, though specific host associations remain poorly documented in published sources.
Zethus spinipes
Zethus spinipes is a species of stinging wasp in the family Vespidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1837. It is distributed across the eastern United States, with recognized subspecies occupying distinct geographic ranges. The species belongs to the subfamily Eumeninae, commonly known as potter or mason wasps.