Which insect belongs to the order Hymenoptera?

• A. Water Strider
• B. Yellowjacket
• C. Western Corn Rootworm
• D. White-Lined Sphinx Moth

Answer: (B)

Understanding which insect belongs to Hymenoptera comes down to recognizing key features of that order. Hymenoptera includes wasps, bees, and ants, and they typically have two pairs of wings (the hind wings are linked to the fore wings by tiny hooks called hamuli) and a slender connection between the thorax and abdomen called a petiole in many species. They also usually have chewing mouthparts and, in many groups, a stinger derived from the reproductive structures.

A yellowjacket is a type of wasp, so it fits into Hymenoptera. The other insects shown come from different orders: a water strider is a Hemipteran with piercing-sucking mouthparts; a western corn rootworm is a beetle (Coleoptera) with hard forewings (elytra); and a white-lined sphinx moth is a Lepidopteran with scaled wings and a long coiled proboscis.