# African Arthropods/Aculeata

Infraorder Aculeta includes the ants, bees, and stinging wasps of the insect Order Hymenoptera

## Families of African Aculeata
### Superfamily Apoidea (Bees and Apoid Wasps)

    Basal Apoidea
* Ampulicidae - cockroach wasps (Ampulex cf. apicalis)
* Ampulicidae - cockroach wasps (Dolichurus cf. basuto)
* Astatidae - astatid wasps (Astata sp.)
    Sphecid clade
* Bembicidae - sand wasps (Gorytes cf natalensis)
* Crabronidae - sand wasps (Tachysphex cf asinus)
* Sphecidae - mud daubers, digger & sand wasps (Ammophila ferrugineipes)
    Philanthid clade
* Pemphredonidae - bee wolves and allies (Polemistus braunsii)
* Philanthidae - bee wolves and allies (Cerceris sp.)
* Philanthidae - bee wolves and allies (Philanthus triangulum diadema)
    Families closely related to bees
* Psenidae (Unidentified psenid wasp)
* Ammoplanidae (Ammoplanus salicis, an ammoplanid wasp from New Mexico)
    Epifamily Anthophila (Bees)
* Andrenidae - Mining bees (Andrena sp.)
* Apidae - honey, cuckoo, digger & carpenter bees (Xylocopa caffra)
* Colletidae - membrane, plasterer & masked bees (Scrapter niger)
* Halictidae - sweat bees, flower bees (Spatunomia rubra)
* Megachilidae - leaf-cutting bees, mason bees
* Melittidae - melittid bees (Rediviva sp.)
    Apoid family with unknown affinities
* Heterogynaidae (Heterogyna sp.)

### Superfamily Chrysidoidea (Cuckoo Wasps and Allies)

* Bethylidae - bethylid wasps
* Chrysididae - cuckoo wasps
* Dryinidae - dryinid wasps (Gonatopus sp.)
          WaspWeb has photographs of museum specimens from the Families Embolemidae, Plumariidae, Sclerogibbidae, and Scolebythidae (also Superfamily Chrysidoidea).

### Superfamily Formicoidea (Ants)

       Family Formicidae (Ants)
* Aenictogiton sp., Aenictogitoninae
* Apomyrma stygia, Apomyrminae
* Cerapachys coxalis, Cerapachyinae
* Cerapachys centurio, Cerapachyinae
* Tapinoma subtile, Dolichoderinae
* Dorylus helvolus, Dorylinae
* Polyrhachis schistacea, Formicinae
* Anoplolepis custodiens, Formicinae
* Carebara vidua, Myrmicinae
* Plectroctena mandibularis, Ponerinae
* Discothyrea hewitti, Proceratiinae
* Probolomyrmex filiformis, Proceratiinae
* Tetraponera natalensis, Pseudomyrmecinae

### Superfamily Pompiloidea (Spider Wasps, Velvet Ants, and Allies)

* Mutillidae - velvet ants (Dasylabris namaquana)
* Pompilidae - spider-hunting wasps (Tribe Ageniellini)
* Sapygidae - sapygid wasps (Sapygina undulata)

### Superfamily Scolioidea (Scoliid Wasp Superfamily)

* Bradynobaenidae - bradynobaenid wasps (Apterogyna sp.)
* Scoliidae - scoliid wasps (Tribe Campsomerini)

### Superfamily Thynnoidea (Thynnid and Chyphotid)

* Thynnidae - thynnid wasps (Meria sp.)
* Thynnidae - thynnid wasps (Meria sp.)

### Superfamily Tiphioidea (Tiphiid Flower Wasps and Allies)

* Tiphiidae - tiphiid wasps (Tiphia sp.)
* Tiphiidae - tiphiid wasps (Tiphia sp.)

### Superfamily Vespoidea (Vespoid Wasps)

* Vespidae - paper, potter and pollen wasps (Belonogaster sp., a paper wasp)
* Vespidae - paper, potter and pollen wasps (Afreumenes sp., a potter wasp)
* Vespidae - paper, potter and pollen wasps (Quartinia sp., a pollen wasp)
* Vespidae - paper, potter and pollen wasps (Vespula germanica, an invasive European wasp)
          WaspWeb has photographs of museum specimens from the Family Rhopalosomatidae (also Superfamily Vespoidea).