Hymenoptera of the World: An Identification Guide to Families

Over the past 15 years, there has been an increased interest in alternative biological methods of pest control. This, along with continued studies of pollination of horticultural crops, has brought about a concurrent need for knowledge about Hymenoptera, especially parasitic forms. In 1980, the USDA's Systematic Entomology Laboratory started an annual course on the identification of parasitic Hymenoptera; similar courses were started in 1985 in Canada and in 1989 in England and were expanded to include all groups of Hymenoptera. This manual is a result of the course given in Ottawa, Canada, with contributions from hymenopterists of the Biological Resources Division (formerly the Biosystematics Research Centre) and a few outside specialists.