Family Tiphiidae (Flower Wasps)

The Flower Wasp adults feed on nectar, but their eggs are laid on mainly  beetle larvae which then provide food for the the wasp larvae.  Most Australian female flower wasps are wingless.   After they emerge from burrows they crawl up grass blades and exude pheromones which attract males.  The male and female then mate, with the male carrying her as he flies around.

Comprised of six Australian subfamilies.

Subfamily Anthoboscinae

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Subfamily Diamminae (Blue “Ants”)

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Subfamily Rhagigasterinae

        

Subfamily Thynninae

hymenopteraapocritaaculeate/suborder-apocrita---aculeate/superfamily-vespoidea/tiphiidae-flower-wasps/genus-catocheilus  insectsoftasmaniahymenoptera2/suborder-apocrita---aculeate/superfamily-vespoidea/tiphiidae-flower-wasps/genus-tachynomyia  hymenopteraapocritaaculeate/suborder-apocrita---aculeate/superfamily-vespoidea/tiphiidae-flower-wasps/genus-aeolothynnus
insectsoftasmaniahymenoptera2/suborder-apocrita---aculeate/superfamily-vespoidea/tiphiidae-flower-wasps/genus-thynnus  insectsoftasmaniahymenoptera2/suborder-apocrita---aculeate/superfamily-vespoidea/tiphiidae-flower-wasps/pending-id---thynninae

Subfamily Tiphiinae
(Currently empty)

Subfamily Myzininae
(Currently empty)

Pending ID – Tiphiidae
         

References

Brown, G. R. 1998. The generic status of Catocheilus Guerin and Hemithynnus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae: Thynnini). General & Applied Entomology 28: 89-92.

Brown, G. R. 2001. Status of the Ariphron generic group (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae): a critical review. Australian Journal of Entomology 40: 23-40.

CSIRO, 2012. Australian Insect Families, viewed 27 May 2012, <http://anic.ento.csiro.au/insectfamilies>.

Daley, E. 2007. Wings an introduction to Tasmania’s winged insects. Riffles Pty Ltd, Buckland Tasmania.Kimsey, L. S. 2004. Illustrated keys to males of the genera of wasps in the subfamily Thynninae (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 106: 571-585.

Semmens, T. D., McQuillan, P. B., & Hayhurst G. 1992. Catalogue of the Insects of Tasmania. Department of Primary Industry Tasmania.

Turner, R. E. 1915. Notes on fossorial Hymenoptera. XVI. On the Thynnidae, Scoliidae and Crabronidae of Tasmania. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 8 15: 537-559.