MORPHOLOGY
Terms for relative postion
Head
Thorax
Wings
Wing length
Abdomen
Ovipositor
Surface structure
BIOLOGY
Development
Voltinism
Nesting strategy
Nest architecture
Biotope
MORPHOLOGY
Terms for relative position

Head
Thorax
Wings
Term | Dutch | German | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|
hamuli | hamuli | hamuli | Hooks on the front edge of the hid wing used to hook these onto the front wing during flight.![]() Crossocerus annulipes ♂︎ |
Wing length
Term | Dutch | German | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|
apterous | apteer | apter | No wings![]() Gelis spurius ♀ |
micropterous | micropteer | micropter | – wings very short – size and veins underdeveloped, scale-like or smaller – flight impossible |
brachypterous | brachypteer | brachypter | – wings short – size and veins underdeveloped – flight impossible ![]() Meconema meridionale |
sub-macropterous | sub-macropteer | sub-macropter | – wings fully developed but short than macropterous – flight possible |
macropterous | macropteer | macropter | – wing fully developed – flight possible ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Abdomen
Term | Dutch | German | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|
petiolate | gesteeld | gestielt | First abdominal segment long and thin![]() Apaeleticus inimicus ![]() Diadromus tenax |
not petiolate | niet gesteeld / wespentaille | nicht gestield | A normal wasps waiste![]() Symmorphus gracilis ♂ In some cases somewhat petiolate but the petiole is not longer than wide ![]() Passaloecus corniger ♂︎ |
Ovipositor
Term | Dutch | German | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|
amblypygous | amblypyg | amblypyg | Ovipositor does not extend beyond the abdominal tip![]() Apaeleticus inimicus ♀ |
oxypygous | oxypyg | oxypyg | Ovipositor extends beyond the abdominal tip![]() Gelis bicolor ♀ |
Surface structure
Term | Dutch | German | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|
punctated | gestippeld, gepuncteerd | punktiert | with pits, punctures Finely: ![]() Gelis spurius ♀ (frons) Finely, sparsely: ![]() Crossocerus annulipes ♀ (mesonotum) Coarse: ![]() Cerceris rybyensis ♀ (tergites) |
striate | gerimpeld | gerunzelt | ![]() Ectemnius cephalotes ♂ (mesopleuron) |
striped | gestreept | gestreift, strichliert | ![]() Nitela borealis ♀ (gena) ![]() Ectemnius cephalotes ♂ (mesonotum) ![]() Ectemnius cavifrons ♀ (metapleuron, side propodeum) |
granulate, grained | korrelig, gegranuleerd | gekörnelt | oppervlak lijkt bedekt met kleine korreltjes![]() Gelis spurius ♀ |
coriaceous | leerachtig, gechagrineerd | ledrig, längsgerunzelt | ![]() Ectemnius cavifrons ♀ (mesonotum) |
netachtig | |||
rugose | rugoos | Coarselt wrinkled![]() Gasteruption assectator ♀ (mesoscutum in front of scutellum) | |
rugulose | ruguloos | Weakly wrinkled![]() Gasteruption erythrostomum ♂ (sidelobes mesoscutum) | |
sinuate, sinuous | sinuaat, sinusachtig | sinuiert | Waving![]() Ancisterocerus nigricornis (yellow band sternite II&III) |
BIOLOGY
Development
Term | Dutch | German | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|
potandry | proterandrie | proterandrie | phenomenon where males appear earlier than the females |
Voltinism
Term | Dutch | German | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|
bivoltine | bivoltien | bivoltine | two generations per year |
multivoltine (plurivoltine) | multivoltien (plurivoltine) | multivoltine (plurivoltine) | two or more generations per year |
partivoltine | partivoltien | partivoltine | one generation in more than two years |
semivoltine | semivoltien | semivoltine | one generation per two years |
univoltine | univoltien | univoltine | one generation per year |
Nesting strategy
Term | Dutch | German | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|
endogeic | endogeïsch | endogäisch | nesting in the ground |
epigeic epigeal | epigeïsch epigeaal | epigäisch | part of the nest above ground / developing above ground |
hypergeic | hypergeïsch | hypergäisch | nesting above ground in structures like stems, wood |
hyper-/endogeic | hyper-/endogeïsch | hyper-/endogäisch | nesting in or close to ground |
Nest architecture
Term | Dutch | German | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|
Calyptodome | Calyptodome | Calyptodome | Nest with enclosed envelope (e.g. Vespula) |
Gymnodome | Gymnodome | Gymnodome | Nest without enclosed envelope (e.g. Polistes) ![]() Polistes dominula |

Term | Dutch | German | Toelichting | |
---|---|---|---|---|
A | preliminary plug | achterwand nest | – | the first plug in the back of the nest, which forms the rear wall of the first brood cell. |
B | brood cell | broedcel | Brutzelle / Brutkammer [5] | a space between two cell plugs in which the larva develops. The front cell plug forms the rear wall of the next cell. |
C | cell plug | tussenwand | – | wall between two brood cells, closes the rear cell and enables the provisioning of the next. |
D | intercalary cell | tussen cel | Leerzelle [5] | empty cell between two brood cells, probably a defence against parasites. |
E | vestibular cell | vestibule / vestibulaire cel | Leerzelle [5] | one or more empty cells directly located behind the nest plug, probably a defence against parasites. |
F | closing plug / nest plug | nest afsluiting / nest plug | Verdeckelung | thick plug that closes the nest entrance |
Biotope
Term | Dutch | German | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|
synanthropic | synanthropisch | synanthropisch | living near humans |
stenotopic | stenotopisch | stenotopisch | living in a small number of specifically defined biotopes |
eurytopic | eurytopisch | eurytopisch | living in a large number of different biotopes |
psammophile | psammofiel | psammophil | has preference to live in a sandy environment |
Other Terminology sources
Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology Portal The Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology project: Yoder MJ, Mikó I, Seltmann KC, Bertone MA, Deans AR. 2010. A Gross Anatomy Ontology for Hymenoptera. PLoS ONE 5 (12): e15991. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0015991 |
A Glossary of Surface Sculpturing [1] Online resource with better rescans of the original photos: A Glossary of Surface Sculpturing |
The Social Insects Glossary Antbase.org: The Social Insects Glossary |
Le dictionnaire entomologique https://dico.insectes.org |
Literature
1 Harris, Rick. (1979). A glossary of surface sculpturing. California Department of Food and Agriculture, Bureau of Entomology. Occasional Papers in Entomology, California Dept. of Food and Agriculture. 28. 1-31.