Definitions of hymenopteran
-
insects having two pairs of membranous wings and an ovipositor specialized for stinging or piercing
-
synonyms:
hymenopter, hymenopteron, hymenopterous insect
-
types:
- show 32 types...
- hide 32 types...
-
bee
any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
-
wasp
social or solitary hymenopterans typically having a slender body with the abdomen attached by a narrow stalk and having a formidable sting
-
Mutillidae, family Mutillidae
a family of wasps
-
chalcid, chalcid fly, chalcid wasp, chalcidfly
any of various tiny insects whose larvae are parasites on eggs and larvae of other insects; many are beneficial in destroying injurious insects
-
ichneumon fly
hymenopterous insect that resembles a wasp and whose larvae are parasitic on caterpillars and other insect larvae
-
sawfly
insect whose female has a saw-like ovipositor for inserting eggs into the leaf or stem tissue of a host plant
-
ant, emmet, pismire
social insect living in organized colonies; characteristically the males and fertile queen have wings during breeding season; wingless sterile females are the workers
-
drone
stingless male bee in a colony of social bees (especially honeybees) whose sole function is to mate with the queen
-
Apis mellifera, honeybee
social bee often domesticated for the honey it produces
-
carpenter bee
large solitary bee that lays eggs in tunnels bored into wood or plant stems
-
bumblebee, humblebee
robust hairy social bee of temperate regions
-
cuckoo-bumblebee
a bee that is parasitic in the nests of bumblebees
-
andrena, andrenid, mining bee
a bee that is a member of the genus Andrena
-
Nomia melanderi, alkali bee
a common solitary bee important for pollinating alfalfa in the western United States
-
leaf-cutter, leaf-cutter bee, leaf-cutting bee
bee that cuts rounded pieces from leaves and flowers to line its nest
-
mason bee
any of numerous solitary bees that build nests of hardened mud and sand
-
potter bee
solitary bee that builds nests of mud or pebbles cemented together and attached to a plant
-
vespid, vespid wasp
mostly social nest-building wasps
-
velvet ant
a solitary wasp of the family Mutillidae; the body has a coat of brightly colored velvety hair and the females are wingless
-
sphecoid, sphecoid wasp
any of various solitary wasps
-
cynipid gall wasp, cynipid wasp, gall wasp, gallfly
small solitary wasp that produces galls on oaks and other plants
-
chalcis fly
a variety of chalcid fly
-
Fenusa pusilla, birch leaf miner
small black sawfly native to Europe but established in eastern United States; larvae mine the leaves of birches causing serious defoliation
-
Monomorium pharaonis, pharaoh ant, pharaoh's ant
small red ant of warm regions; a common household pest
-
Monomorium minimum, little black ant
tiny glossy black ant; nests outdoors but invades houses for food
-
army ant, driver ant, legionary ant
tropical nomadic ant that preys mainly on other insects
-
carpenter ant
ant that nests in decaying wood in which it bores tunnels for depositing eggs
-
fire ant
omnivorous ant of tropical and subtropical America that can inflict a painful sting
-
Formica rufa, wood ant
reddish-brown European ant typically living in anthills in woodlands
-
slave ant
any of various ants captured as larvae and enslaved by another species
-
slave-maker, slave-making ant
an ant that attacks colonies of other ant species and carries off the young to be reared as slave ants
-
bulldog ant
any of the large fierce Australian ants of the genus Myrmecia
-
type of:
-
insect
small air-breathing arthropod
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘hymenopteran'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback
Word Family
EDITOR'S CHOICE
Look up hymenopteran for the last time
Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.
