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Germany is home to a rich cuckoo wasp fauna (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) with about 108 species. However, several nomenclatural changes, the lack of identification keys, and the discovery of cryptic species difficult to identify based on external morphology have made the identification of several species a challenge. COI barcoding has been instrumental in the identification of some cuckoo wasp species and could help alleviate some of the above problems, but a reliable large reference database containing the cuckoo wasp barcodes is lacking. We present the COI barcodes of more than 800 specimens of 101 cuckoo wasp species native to Germany to lay the foundation for the barcode-based identification of German species. An analysis of the COI barcode sequences suggested groups that are largely consistent with the current taxonomy of the group. We found a few cases of over- or undersplitting of taxa. In some common species, the high degree of barcode divergence suggests the presence of cryptic species that need to be further assessed by integrative approaches. Our library of cuckoo wasp reference barcodes will enhance researchers’ ability to reliably identify species within this fascinating group of insects, in particular for identifying life stages that offer few or no morphological features for species-level identification.

Some authors in the past based their conclusions about the limits of the metapostnotum of Chrysidoidea based on the position of the mesophragmo-metaphragmal muscle, rather than aspects of the skeleton and musculature associated with the metapectal-propodeal complex. The latter character system suggests another interpretation of the metapostnotum delimitation. Given this scenario, the main goal of this work is to present a new perspective on the metapostnotum in Chrysidoidea, especially Bethylidae, helping to resolve questions related to the evolution of the metapostnotum. This is based on homologies established by associating of insertion points of ph2-ph3 and ph3-T2 muscles with the delimitation of the respective sclerite the muscles insert into. Our results indicate that, according the position of the metaphragmal muscles, the metapostnotum in Bethylidae is medially expanded in the propodeal disc and has different forms of configuration. Internally, the limits of the metapostnotum can be tracked by the shape of the mesopostnotum, and vice versa. Thus, the anteromedian area of the propodeal disc sensu Evans was reinterpreted in the current study as the metapostnotum. In conjunction with associated structures, we provide evidence to clarify the relationships between the families within Chrysidoidea, although certain families like Embolemidae, Dryinidae and Chrysididae exhibit extreme modifications of the condition found in Aculeata, as observed in Bethylidae. We review the terminology used to describe anatomical features on the metapectal-propodeal complex in Bethylidae in general, and provide a list of recommended terms in accordance with the online Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology. The morphology of the studied subfamilies are illustrated. Studies that focus on a single structure, across a larger number of taxa, are more insightful and present specific questions that can contribute to broader issues, thus providing a better understanding of the morphology and evolution of insects.

Cleptoparasitic wasps and bees smuggle their eggs into the nest of a host organism. Here the larvae of the cleptoparasite feed upon the food provision intended for the offspring of the host. As cleptoparasitism incurs a loss of fitness for the host organism (offspring of the host fail to develop), hosts of cleptoparasites are expected to exploit cues that alert them to potential cleptoparasite infestation. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) could serve as such cues, as insects inevitably leave traces of them behind when entering a nest. By mimicking the host's CHC profile, cleptoparasites can conceal their presence and evade detection by their host. Previous studies have provided evidence of cleptoparasites mimicking their host's CHC profile. However, the impact of this strategy on the evolution of the host's CHC profile has remained unexplored. Here, we present results from our investigation of a host–cleptoparasite system consisting of a single mason wasp species that serves syntopically as the host to three cuckoo wasp species. We found that the spiny mason wasp (Odynerus spinipes) is able to express two substantially different CHC profiles, each of which is seemingly mimicked by a cleptoparasitic cuckoo wasp (i.e. Chrysis mediata and Pseudospinolia neglecta). The CHC profile of the third cuckoo wasp (Chrysis viridula), a species not expected to benefit from mimicking its host's CHC profile because of its particular oviposition strategy, differs from the two CHC profiles of its host. Our results corroborate the idea that the similarity of the CHC profiles between cleptoparasitic cuckoo wasps and their hosts are the result of chemical mimicry. They further suggest that cleptoparasites may represent a hitherto unappreciated force that drives the evolution of their hosts' CHCs.

Although bees and wasps are well known as aposematically coloured insects, the role of their aposematic patterns has not been studied to the same extent as other animal and insect groups, i.e., butterflies or beetles. We focused on the fauna of Central Europe, a region with a high diversity of bees and wasps, with more than 1200 species recorded. For each species, we recorded whether aposematic colouration was present as well as which of the main four colouration combinations was present, for both males and females. The same was studied for the three main groups of mimics: clearwing moths, hoverflies, and longhorn beetles. We found that more than 73% of bees and wasps were aposematically coloured, with the black-yellow combination being the most common, recorded in more than half of all aposematically coloured species. The proportions of the main colour combinations varied among the studied groups of bees and wasps. All Chrysididae were metallic. Pompilidae were dominantly black-red, while most Mutillidae exhibited a black-red-white colouration. Parasitic species were more often aposematic (more than 95%) than nesting predators and nesting herbivores were. Regarding the mimics, clearwing moths were nearly all aposematic, and they used Batesian mimicry as their main defence against predators. In contrast, only approximately half of the longhorn beetles were aposematic, whereas the rest of the species used crypsis. All groups of mimics were most commonly coloured black-yellow, but several species in all three groups also possessed the other three colour combinations. Aposematic coloration, along with both Batesian and Müllerian mimicry, functions as a warning signal to vertebrate predators but can also deter insect predators and parasites. However, these interactions remain understudied and deserve further investigation.

Anachrysis arabica sp. nov. , a new chrysidid species from Saudi Arabia and Yemen, is described and illustrated. The new species represents the first record of the subfamily Amiseginae in the Arabian Peninsula. A key to species of the genus is provided. The phylogenetic position of Anachrysis within the subfamily is briefly discussed.

Chrysis arkadyi sp. nov. from India and Pakistan is herein described in the C. splendidula species group, and C. speculata du Buysson, 1896 is recorded for the first time from Pakistan. The Chrysis autocrata species group, established by Linsenmaier (1997), is synonymised with the C. succincta species group, and the C. serpentula species group, established by Tarbinsky (2002), is synonymised with the C. splendidula species group. C. autocrata Nurse, 1903 syn. nov. and C. ewridica Tarbinsky, 2001 syn. nov. are considered junior synonyms of C. variana du Buysson, 1901. A key to the seven species of the C. succincta species group so far known from Pakistan and India is provided.

We provide new data on the distribution and biology of the three Stenodynerus species (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae) from Panama: Stenodynerus iolans (Cameron, 1905) is recorded for the first time from Panama; several localities are added to the known distribution in Panama of S. farias (Saussure, 1857); and S. otomitus (Saussure, 1857), currently known as a ground-nester, was found emerging from exposed cells together with Ipsiura pilifrons (Cameron, 1888) (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae).

The article represents mobilised biodata of the first part of the entomological collections of the SIZK (Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, Kyiv) collection funds. It includes 11 occurrence datasets covering three orders and 11 families of insects: Lepidoptera (Tortricidae), Diptera (Sciaridae, Syrphidae) and Hymenoptera (Braconidae, Crabronidae, Sphecidae, Chrysididae, Ichneumonidae, Eurytomidae, Torymidae, Ormyridae). The total number of records is 12,713, based on transcription of information from the labels of pinned or slide-mounted specimens. The records cover specimens collected during 1881-2022, mostly on the territory of Ukraine, but some collections also cover the territory of other countries. The primary purpose of publishing these data is to secure the future of the SIZK collections, which are still at risk of war damage and to make the mobilised data freely and remotely accessible through GBIF. In total, three orders and 11 families of insects are represented with 12,713 records: Lepidoptera (Tortricidae), Diptera (Sciaridae, Syrphidae) and Hymenoptera (Braconidae, Crabronidae, Sphecidae, Chrysididae, Ichneumonidae, Eurytomidae, Torymidae, Ormyridae).

An addendum to the recent checklist of the Chrysididae from Mongolia is given. Examination of old museum material and recently collected specimens has led to the discovery of eight new records for the country and eleven new species for science. Eight species are newly recorded from Mongolia: Chrysis inclinata Linsenmaier, 1959, C. martinella du Buysson, 1900, C. speciosa Radoszkowski, 1877, Euchroeus purpuratus (Fabricius, 1787), Holopyga lucida (Lepeletier, 1806), H. similis Mocsáry, 1889, Hedychridium femoratum (Dahlbom, 1854) and H. leleji Rosa, 2017. Two species, Hedychridium cupreum (Dahlbom, 1845) and H. propodeale Rosa, 2017 are excluded from the checklist of Mongolian Chrysididae: the former is described here as H. erythrosoma sp. nov. , the latter is identified as H. leleji Rosa, 2017. The hitherto unknown male of Chrysis mocsaryi Radoszkowski, 1889 is described and illustrated. Eleven new species are described: Chrysis strakai sp. nov. , C. woodi sp. nov. , Hedychridium erythrosoma sp. nov. , H. frontale sp. nov. , H. jacobsi sp. nov. , H. splendens sp. nov. , H. striatum sp. nov. , H. varvarae sp. nov. , H. weii sp. nov. , Holopyga tyrneri sp. nov. , and Philoctetes boreki sp. nov. Keys to males and females of all known Mongolian species of Hedychridium Abeille de Perrin, 1878 are provided. The Mongolian cuckoo wasp fauna now comprises 107 species in 18 genera and two subfamilies.

Three related genera of Asian Amiseginae, Baeosega Krombein, Nipponosega Kurzenko & Lelej, and Okinawasega Terayama are revised. The male of N. yamanei Kurzenko & Lelej and the female of O. eguchii Terayama are newly described. The following new synonymies are proposed: Baeosega humida Krombein, 1984 = B. laticeps Krombein, 1984, syn. nov. ; Nipponosega yamanei Kurzenko & Lelej, 1994 = N. kantoensis Nagase, 1995, syn. nov. A new species of Nipponosega , N. lineata sp. nov. is described based on a female from Thailand. A key to genera and species of Baeosega , Nipponosega and Okinawasega is given.