IDENTIFICATION:

Hymenopterods, which include wasps, bees, and ants, are one of the largest insect orders. Over 130,000 species have been identified, with many more yet to be discovered. Although it is impossible to say how many species exist in the NSW because new species are discovered all the time, a rough estimate based on local literature suggests that there were over 178 species known locally in 1995, including 113 species of wasps, 46 species of bees, and around 52 species of ants.

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Females have a particular ovipositor that they use to implant eggs into hosts or other difficult locations. The ovipositor is frequently repurposed as a stinger. Before they mature, the young go through a complete metamorphosis, which includes a worm-like larval stage and an inactive pupal stage.

Although many species are considered household pests, few have shown to be true pests (e.g., carrying disease), yet their persistence in numbers is often regarded as a nuisance to the establishment's owner.