Hymenoptera

Hymenoptera (membranous-winged), an order of insects including the ants, bees, wasps, saw-flies, gall-flies, ichneumon flies, etc. (q.v.). The main character of the order is the possession of an ovipositor on the end of the abdomen of the female. It is developed either as a saw (serra), a sting (aculeus), or a boring organ (terelra). By means of this the eggs are deposited in a suitable place for development as in the leaves of plants (gall-flies), or in other insects (ichneumon flies). In some, e.g. the wasps, it is a defensive organ.