Red imported fire ant Order: Hymenoptera Family: Formicidae Genus and species: Solenopsis invicta Buren The term fire ant refers to any of several red or yellow ants of the genus Solenopsis that can inflict a harsh sting. Six species of Solenopsis have been reported...

Black carpenter ant Order: Hymenoptera Family: Formicidae Genus and species: Camponotus pennsylvanicus (De Geer) Carpenter ants are named for their habit of hollowing out wood to produce nesting sites. They attract attention because of their generally large size,...

European Hornet Order: Hymenoptera Family: Vespidae Genus and species: Vespa crabro Linnaeus Arkansans will not be pleased to learn that large European hornets, Vespa crabro, have recently found a home and breeding grounds in the Ozarks of Northwest Arkansas. These...

Baldfaced hornet Order: Hymenoptera Family: Vespidae Genus and species: Dolichovespula maculata (Linnaeus) Dolichovespula maculata is called the baldfaced hornet because of its largely white face. The rest of the body is mostly black with some white markings, and the...

Red velvet ant; cow killer Order: Hymenoptera Family: Mutillidae Genus and species: Dasymutilla occidentalis (Linnaeus) Females of these wasps superficially resemble very large ants, up to an inch long. Like ants, they are wingless, but their antennae are not elbowed...

Carpenter bee Order: Hymenoptera Family: Apidae Genus and species: Xylocopa virginica (Linnaeus) Carpenter bees cause alarm because they are large insects –­­­ up to about an inch long – resembling bumble bees, the territorial males harass humans and other animals...

Organ-pipe mud-daubers Order: Hymenoptera Family: Sphecidae Genus and species: Trypoxylon politum Say Organ-pipe mud-dauber and nest Organ-pipe mud-dauber wasps occur in the eastern United States from Maine to Florida west to Kansas and Texas. Typically, females build...

Cicada killer Order: Hymenoptera Family: Sphecidae Genus and species: Sphecius speciosus (Drury) Cicada killers are large wasps, nearly 1 1/4" long, resembling large yellow jackets or hornets. They are common throughout the United States east of the Rocky Mountains,...

Red wasp Order: Hymenoptera Family: Vespidae Genus and species: Polistes carolina (Linnaeus) Red wasps are another common paper wasp species in Arkansas. The head and body are almost completely reddish-brown, thus the common name. The red body contrasts with black...

Ringed paper wasp Order: Hymenoptera Family: Vespidae Genus and species: Polistes annularis (Linnaeus) Polistes is a cosmopolitan genus of social wasps with more than 200 species worldwide. Fewer than 10 species are likely to occur in Arkansas, but they are a...