Download HYMENOPTERA

HYMENOPTERA
Ants, Wasps, Bees, Sawflies
Hymenoptera is a tremendously diverse order of insects, as well as one of the
best known orders. It includes all ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Hymenoptera
may have four membranous wings, or in the case of worker ants, be wingless.
The female members of this order (apart from sawflies), have a “stinger.” The
stinger is actually a modified ovipositor (egg-laying organ) It is used both for
defense and often to inject venom, to paralyze or kill prey.
Another characteristic of this order is that its members are all haplodiploid. This
gives a mother the ability to choose the sex of her offspring, because males only
have one set of chromosomes (developing from unfertilized eggs), while females
have two. Adults of this order mostly feed on nectar or honeydew, while their
larvae may feed on plant tissue, nectar, or other insects. Hymenoptera is one of
the only orders whose members may be social, living together in communities of
closely related family members. Ants and honeybees are most commonly known
for their sociality. It is thought that this social behavior most likely evolved as a
result of haplodiploidy.
The Coal Oil Point collection contains over 170 morphospecies of Hymenoptera,
most of which are small parasitic wasps. The wasps account for a large portion
of the collection’s overall diversity.
pemphrenid2 or oph1
Apoidea
Bees
Superfamily Apoidea includes all bees. Contrary to common perceptions, most
bees are solitary. The social honey bees and bumble bees are in fact the major
exceptions. Solitary bees live in small nests in the ground or other natural
cavities. Bees feed on flower pollen or nectar and as a result play an invaluable
role in pollinating plants, including flowering crops such as cotton, fruits, and
vegetables. The Coal Oil Point Reserve collection includes ten species of native
bees, in addition to the nonnativeEuropean honeybee.
halictid1
Formicidae
Ants
The family Formicidae includes all ants. Ants live communally in nests ranging in
size from a dozen to several thousands of individuals. Nests are found in the
ground or in other natural cavities and typically consist of one queen, many
workers, and depending on the season a small number of males. Depending on
the species, ants may be predaceous, phytophagous, or scavengers.
Coal Oil Point is home to five species of ants, including the highly invasive
Argentine Ant (Linepithema humile.)
ant2
Ichneumonoidea
Braconids, Ichneumons, Stephanids
This is the largest superfamily within Hymenoptera, named for the largest family,
Ichneumonidae. Members range vastly in size from minute to over 2 inches, and
are essentially ubiquitous. The larger of these wasps have very impressive
ovipositors, though they rarely will sting humans. The ovipositor is often used
instead for paralyzing prey which they feed to their larvae alive. These parasitoid
larvae are very important in controlling the abundances of pest insects. The Coal
Oil Point collection has over 50 species of Ichneumons and Braconids.
ich18
Chalcidoidea
Fairyflies, Chalcids, Pteromalids
This group includes small to minute wasps with characteristically reduced wing
veination. These tiny wasps are generally parasitic on other insects and as a
result are very important in controlling the abundance of pest insects. Some of
these are even hyperparasites, meaning that they parasitize other parasites. The
Coal Oil Point collection contains over 40 species of Chalcidoidea, including 10
species of Fairyflies (Mymaridae).
pteromalid3 or mymarid5
Proctotrupoidea
Proctotrupids, Diaprids, Scelionids
This superfamily includes several types of small but very common parasitoid
wasps. As larvae, these wasps are parasitic on other insects. Each species of
wasp is generally a specialist in parasitizing a particular group of insect. The
Coal Oil Point collection includes 28 morphospecies of Proctotrupoidea, 19 of
which are Scelionids.
procto0
Scelionidae
Scelionids
Scelionidae is a family belonging to the superfamily Proctotrupoidea. Scelionids
are a common group, and distinct from other Proctotrupoids in that they chiefly
parasitize the eggs of other insects. The Coal Oil Point collection contains 19
morphospecies of Scelionids.
Scelionid1
DIPTERA
True Flies
Diptera is both a very abundant and diverse order. As their name suggests, Flies
are excellent fliers. Unlike most insects, they only have one set of membranous
wings. Their hind wings have evolved over time into structures known as
“halteres,” small knob-like apparatuses responsible for balance.
Fly larvae are found in a very wide variety of habitats, ranging from soil and plant
tissue to dead and living animal tissue. Adults feed mainly on liquids, often from
sweet or decaying sources. The most infamous fly is undoubtedly the mosquito,
the females of which must take a blood meal each time before she lays her eggs.
Because of this trait, biting flies such as mosquitoes, black flies, and horse flies
serve as vectors of human and animal disease.
Flies are responsible for a great deal of the diversity at Coal Oil Point, with over
120 species in the collection.
sarcophagid2
Dolichopodidae
Long-legged Flies
This family of flies is very common and found in marshy and meadow habitats.
They are named for their noticeably long and thin legs. Though small, these flies
may be quite attractive, exhibiting metallic blue and green coloration. The adults
are generally predaceous on smaller insects, while the larvae may be found in
moist soil, decaying vegetation, or water depending on species. The Coal Oil
Point collection contains six morphospecies of Long-legged flies.
dolichopodidae5
Syrphidae
Hoverflies/Flower-flies
Hoverflies, or Flower-flies are a fairly common family of flies. They are
exceptional fliers and are generally found hovering around flowers. Many
species look strikingly similar to wasps or bees, though Hoverflies do not have a
“stinger.” The adults feed on flower nectar and aphid honeydew. Their larvae
are more diverse in habitat, some of which scavenge in dung and decaying
matter or graze on aphids on plants, while others are aquatic. The Coal Oil Point
collection contains ten morphospecies of Hoverflies.
syrphid9
Chloropidae
Frit Flies
This is a large and common family of rather small-sized flies. Both as adults and
as larvae Frit flies live either in decaying matter or in grass stems and as such
are found in grassy areas. The Coal Oil Point collection has three
morphospecies of Frit Flies.
chlorpopid2
Agromyzidae
Leaf miner Flies
Leaf miner flies are small flies generally found among vegetation. They are
called “leaf miners” because their tiny larvae live within leaves. They eat the leaf
from the inside, mining through it and leaving behind winding brown trails. The
Coal Oil Point collection contains eight morphospecies of leaf miner flies.
agromyzid8
Muscidae
Muscid Flies
This family includes many common flies, including House flies. Muscids are
relatively large and hairy. Some are predaceous as adults, while most feed on
dead plant and animal tissue, dung, and even blood. Muscids that feed on blood
such as the Tsetse fly are important disease vectors. Though Tsetse fly is not in
California, the stable fly is a biting muscid that may be found in our area. The
Coal Oil Point collection contains nine morphospecies of Muscid flies.
muscid6
Tachinidae
Tachinid Flies
Tachinidae is a very common and abundant family of flies. They tend to be large
and hairy, occasionally resembling bees. The larvae parasitize other insects and
as a result are very important in controlling the abundance of pest species.
The Coal Oil Point collection contains eleven morphospecies of Tachnid flies.
tachinid4
Cecidomyiidae
Gall Midges
This is a large and common family of flies. The larvae of most species form galls
PSOCOPTERA
Booklice, Barklice, Pscoids
Psocids are a common but relatively inconspicuous order of insects. These tiny
insects typically live among tree bark and other dry plant matter. While they may
have be winged or wingless, all of the species found in Coal Oil Point thus far are
winged. They feed on fungi, lichen, and decaying plant debris, and along with
many other insects play an important role in cycling nutrients. They can be
gregarious or live alone. Some species spin silk in which they live. A few are
known to live communally in bird feathers and nests or mammal fur, and some
research has suggested they are the ancestors of true lice. Coal Oil Point is
home to 8 species of psocids, all of which are winged.
psocid5
NEUROPTERA
Lacewings, Dusty-wings, Owlflies, Antlions
Neuroptera is a common but not terribly diverse order of insects. They are
distinguishable by their densely veined membranous wings, giving the
appearance of “lace.” Most species are voracious predators, typically preying on
plant pest insects such as aphids. Because of this some neuropterans have
been successfully used in the biological control of crop pests. We have found
three species of lacewings(one green and two brown) and one species of dustywings at Coal Oil Point.
coniopt1
Coniopterigidae
Dusty-Wings
Dusty-wings are notably rare, however we have found one specimen at the
reserve. They have fewer veins in their wings than their lacewing relatives and
are covered with a characteristic waxy dust. They prey on soft bodied
homopterans such as aphids and scale insects both as larvae and adults.
What’s the purpose of the dust?
Hemerobiidae
Brown Lacewings
Brown lacewings are voracious predators because of this have been used for
successfully for biological control of agricultural pests (what specifically?). They
typically live in wooded areas and prey on plant pests such as aphids and scale
insects. Coal Oil Point is home to two species of brown lacewings.
Chrysopidae
Green Lacewings
Green lacewings tend to be more common than their brown relatives. They are
voracious predators because of this have been used for successfully for
biological control of agricultural pests (what specifically?). They typically live in
open grassland areas and prey on plant pests such as aphids and scale insects.
Coal Oil Point is home to one species of green lacewings.