Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index . Aleiodes indiscretus wasp parasitizing gypsy moth caterpillar. Wasps Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera Suborder: Symphyta Suborder: Apocrita A wasp is any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is not a bee or an ant. Less familiar, the suborder Symphyta includes the sawflies and wood wasps, which differ from the Apocrita by having a broad connection between the thorax and abdomen. Also, Symphyta larvae are mostly herbivorous and "caterpillarlike", whereas the Apocrita are largely predatory or parasitic. Most familiar wasps belong to the Aculeata, a division of the Apocrita whose ovipositors are modified into a venomous stinger that includes ants and bees. In this sense, the species called "velvet ants" (Mutilidae) are actually wasps. A narrower meaning of the term wasp is any member of the Aculeate family Vespidae. This includes the yellowjackets (Vespula, Dolichovespula spp.) and hornets (Vespa spp.). Table of contents 1 Characteristics 2 Some Wasp Families 3 External links Characteristics The following characteristics are present in most wasps: Two pairs of wings (exception: female Mutillidae) A stinger (in females) Few or no hairs (in contrast to bees); exception: Mutillidae Predators or parasitoids, mostly on other insects; some (e.g. Pompilidae) specialize in spiders Wasps are critically important in natural biocontrol. There is a wasp species that is predator or parasite upon almost every pest insect species. Wasps are also increasingly used in agricultural pest control. See also: how to tell bees from wasps Some Wasp Families Vespidae Yellowjackets, hornets, etc. Scoliidae Scoliid wasps Mutillidae - velvet 'ants' Sphecidae - digger wasps Pompilidae - spider wasps Chrysididae - cuckoo wasps A yellowjacket wasp drinking () External links [1] a pictoral life cycle of organ pipe wasps [1] ''links to many parasitic wasps and other insects used for biological control [1] ''phylogeny of the order Hymenoptera contrasting the groups discussed in this article The term sea wasp designates a number of species of jellyfish, including the deadly box jellyfish. See also: WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) W.A.S.P (1980s heavy metal band) This article is from Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.