Hymenopterans Collection

Leaf cutter ants (Atta sp) carrying plant matter, Costa Rica

European honey bee (Apis mellifera) feeding on ice plant flowers (Sedum spectabile), Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. September

Line of Leaf-cutter ants (Atta sp) carrying leaves, digital composite

Robins pincushion gall caused by Gall wasp (Diplolepis rosae) on wild Dog rose (Rosa canina), Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, UK. September

Leafcutter ant (Atta sp) carrying leaf along branch, Amazonian Rainforest, Yavari Valley, Loreto, Peru

Honeybee (Apis mellifera) flying to Bluebell flowers (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. April

Field cuckoo bumblebee (Bombus campestris) feeding on Goldenrod (Solidago). Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. September

European honey bee (Apis mellifera) in flight, feeding on flowers (Brachyglottis sp). Monmouthshire, Wales, UK, June

Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) flying to Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale) Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. July

Brown banded carder bee (Bombus humilis) pollinating Rosebay Willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium) Monmouthshire, Wales, UK, September

Mining bee / Little flower bee (Anthophora bimaculata) taking nectar and pollen from Common fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica) flower, with pollen covered scopa, Surrey, England, UK. August

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) on Fleabane (Erigion eriginousus) Newport Marshes Reserve, Gwent, Wales, UK. August

Spider hunting wasp (Pompilidae) Maliau Basin, Sabah, Borneo

Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) worker feeding on Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare). Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, UK. July

Leaf cutter ants (Atta sp) female worker ants carry pieces of fern leaves to nest, reflected in water, Costa Rica, December

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Bee on Rudbeckia laciniata Herbstsonne green headed coneflower

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Bee on Rudbeckia laciniata Herbstsonne green headed coneflower

Heath bumblebee (Bombus jonellus) queen feeding on goldenrod flowers (Solidago), Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. September

Close up of Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) feeding at a flower (Aster sp), Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. September

Blue mason bee (Osmia leaiana) gathering pollen from Fleabane flower, Oxfordshire, England, UK, August

Illustration of Hornets and Wasps, from Arcana entomologica, or, Illustrations of new, rare, and interesting insects by J.O. Westwood, 1845

Army ant (Eciton sp. ) soldier, Costa Rica. February 2015
Army ant (Eciton sp.) soldier, Costa Rica. February 2015

Army ants (Eciton sp. ) Costa Rica. February 2015
Army ants (Eciton sp.) Costa Rica. February 2015

Turtle ant C018 / 2464
Turtle ant. Close-up of a turtle ant (Cephalotes sp.) soldier, showing its flattened head shield. Photographed in Peru

Bullet ant stinger C018 / 2441
Bullet ant stinger. Close-up of the abdomen of a bullet ant (Paraponera clavata), showing its stinger. Bullet ants get their name from their powerful and potent sting

Ant eye C018 / 2440
Ant eye. Close-up of the head of an ant (family Formicidae), showing on of its compound eyes. Each compound eye is made up of numerous simple eyes called ommatidia

Wasp eye. Close-up of one of the compound eyes of a wasp (order Hymenoptera), showing the individual lenses (ommatidia, hexagonal)

Bullet ant C018 / 2481
Bullet ant. Close-up of a bullet ant (Paraponera clavata), showing its large jaws (mandibles, centre). Bullet ants get their name from their powerful and potent sting

Wasp head. Close-up of the head of a wasp (order Hymenoptera), showing its large compound eyes (black, left and right). Magnification: x46 when printed 10 centimetres wide

Tropical wasps nest. Close-up of tropical wasps (order Hymenoptera) on the outside of their nest attached to the underside of a leaf

Honeybee head
Honeybee. Close-up of a honeybee (Apis sp.) covered in pollen (yellow grains). Magnification: x17, when printed 10 centimetres wide

Tropical ants nest C016 / 7755
Tropical ants nest. This nest has been formed around the stalks of plants to keep it off the ground. Photographed in Yasuni National Park, Amazon rainforest, Ecuador

Ant drinking nectar C016 / 7734
Ant drinking nectar. Tropical ant drinking nectar from an extrafloral nectary at the base of a leaf. Extrafloral nectaries are nectar-secreting plant glands that develop outside of flowers

Bullet ants interacting C016 / 7739
Bullet ants interacting. Bullet ants (Paraponera clavata) get their name from their powerful and potent sting. They inhabit humid lowland rainforests from Nicaragua and the extreme east of Honduras

Insect defence glands, artwork C016 / 7681
Insect defence glands. Computer artwork of a beetle (order Coleoptera, left) and ant (family Formicidae, right), showing the location of the glands that secrete defensive chemicals

Mud dauber wasp C016 / 2290
Mud dauber wasp (Stizus continuus). Mud daubers are solitary wasps that build nests made of mud. Specimen obtained from the University of Valencia, Spain

Mammoth wasp C016 / 2195
Mammoth wasp. View of the upperside of a female mammoth wasp (Megascolia maculata flavifrons). This species of very large wasp is the largest in Europe

Mud dauber wasp C016 / 2291
Mud dauber wasp (Stizus continuus) with its wings spread. Mud daubers are solitary wasps that build nests made of mud. Specimen obtained from the University of Valencia, Spain

Mud dauber wasp C016 / 2161
Mud dauber wasp (Sceliphron sp.). Mud daubers are solitary wasps that build nests made of mud. Specimen obtained from the University of Valencia, Spain

Sleeping bee C014 / 4635
Sleeping bee. Bee (Nomada sp.) using its mandibles to cling onto a leaf while it sleeps

Wasp wing. Close-up of one of the wing of a wasp (order Hymenoptera), showing its iridescent surface. Magnification: x57 when printed 10 centimetres wide

Worker ants C014 / 4652
Worker ants (Polyrhachis illaudata) on the ground. Photographed in Guangdong province, South China

Wasp. Close-up of the head of a wasp (order Hymenoptera), showing its large compound eyes (black, left and right). Magnification: x17 when printed 10 centimetres wide

Tropical wasps nest C016 / 7770
Tropical wasps nest. This nest has been formed around the stalks of plants to keep it off the ground. Photographed in Yasuni National Park, Amazon rainforest, Ecuador

Tropical wasps nest C016 / 7769
Tropical wasps nest. This nest has been formed around the stalks of plants to keep it off the ground. Photographed in Yasuni National Park, Amazon rainforest, Ecuador

Cuckoo wasp (Chrysis ignita) on a leaf. Photographed in Poland

Spider wasp. Episyron sp. spider wasp on a leaf. Spider wasps (family Pompilidae) get their name from their behaviour of hunting and killing spiders, often larger than themselves

Ant head C018 / 2487
Ant head. Close-up of the head of an ant (family Formicidae), showing its jaws (mandibles, lower centre) and eyes (upper left and right)

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Hymenopterans, the fascinating insects that include leaf cutter ants and honey bees, play vital roles in ecosystems around the world. In Costa Rica, Leaf cutter ants (Atta sp) can be seen diligently carrying plant matter as they contribute to nutrient cycling and soil aeration. Meanwhile, European honey bees (Apis mellifera) gracefully feed on ice plant flowers (Sedum spectabile), their delicate wings buzzing with purpose. In a digital composite image capturing nature's harmony, a line of Leaf-cutter ants (Atta sp) marches together, each ant carrying leaves to their underground colonies. Their teamwork is awe-inspiring as they navigate through the Amazonian Rainforest in Yavari Valley. Gall wasps (Diplolepis rosae) leave behind intricate Robin's pincushion galls on wild Dog rose plants (Rosa canina). These unique structures serve as both shelter for developing wasp larvae and an intriguing sight for nature enthusiasts. The beauty of pollination unfolds before our eyes as we witness various hymenopterans engaging with different flowers. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) elegantly fly towards Bluebell flowers (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), while Field cuckoo bumblebees (Bombus campestris) find sustenance in Goldenrod blooms (Solidago). European honey bees continue their important work by feeding on Brachyglottis sp flowers during flight. Buff-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), adorned with distinctive yellow stripes, are drawn to Oriental poppies' vibrant petals (Papaver orientale). Brown banded carder bees (Bombus humilis) diligently pollinate Rosebay Willowherb (Chamerion), ensuring its continued reproduction. Even smaller hymenopterans like Mining bees (Little flower bee/Anthophora bimaculata) contribute to the delicate balance of nature by collecting nectar and pollen.