Hymenoptera families

Formicidae

ants, always have one or two petioles and always elbowed antennae. superfamily Vespoidea

Pompilidae

superfamily Vespoidea. spider wasps, usually dark colored and swoop up and down looking for prey. has transverse suture across meso pleuron. distinctively long procoxae on forelegs

Mutillidae

velvet ants, females are wingless, males have wings for mating. usually brightly colored and very hairy. parasites of other hymenoptera. no petiole (not an ant). superfamily Vespoidea

Scoliidae

large and hairy wasp sometimes confused with vespid. usually black with yellow bands. wings have wrinkles/waves where the venation ends. superfamily Vespoidea

Vespidae

common large wasps; yellow jackets, paper wasps, hornets. V or U shaped pronotum that reaches tegula. discoidal cell very long. most fold wings twice. superfamily Vespoidea

Sphecidae

pronotal lobe that does not reach tegula. unique collar like pronotum. setae do not branch like bees. superfamily Apoidea. includes thread waisted mud dauber, cicada killer wasp

Apidae

most bees! not all. have corbicula for pollen. no jugal lobe. 3 submarginal cells. superfamily Apoidea

Halictidae

sweat bees, metallic green/blue, distinct arched basal vein

Chalcididae

super enlarged femur, found in meadows near flowers. superfamily Chalcidoidea, microhymenoptera

Chrysididae

cuckoo wasps, metallic blue/green, concave abdomen for rolling into a ball, unique hind lobe, parasitic, microhymneoptera

Evaniidae

ensign wasp, parasite of roaches, spider like legs, mesasoma square and blocky, metasoma (gaster) attached by narrow petiole high above hind coxae, superfamily

Braconidae

slender, delicate, usually BCAs, tends to be smaller and more round than ichneumonids, if has the horse head cell it will be intersected by veins

Ichneumonidae

has horse head cell, parasitoids, usually yellow orange black, similar to braconids

Siricidae

symphyta, wood wasp/sawfly, large wood boring, not petiolate, horn on end of abdomen