User:Alandmanson/draft article on External morphology of Hymenoptera

Hymenoptera (wasps, bees and ants) are insects with an complete metamorphosis (holometabolous). The larva hatches from an egg, and develops into an inactive pupa; after further development, the adult emerges.

Adult

Wasp anatomy

Wasp anatomy

The adult has a large head, well-developed, compound eyes, six legs, and an elongated abdomen. Most hymenoptera have two pairs of wings.

Many Hymenoptera are very small insects, but lengths range from 0.21 mm (the smallest fairyflies Mymaridae) to about 70 mm (Pelecinus, a proctotrupoid wasp; Pepsis pulszkyi a spider wasp).

Wings

The wings have a network of veins; between the veins the wings are generally transparent, but may be partly coloured. In many Hymenoptera there is a structure on or near the leading edge near the tip of the wing called the stigma. This is a thickened, hemolymph–filled and often black area bounded by veins. The main veins and the crossveins form the wing venation pattern. The venation patterns are different in different taxa and can be useful for family, genus or species identification.

Hymenopteran wing venation: C — costa; Sc — subcosta and its branches; R — radius and its branches; Rs — radial sector; M — media and its branches; Cu — cubitus and its branches; 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A — first to fourth anal veins; h — humeral cross-vein; r — radial cross-veins; r-m — radio-medial vein; m-cu — medio-cubital cross veins; cu-a — cubito-anal cross-vein; cv — cross-vein