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...

Golden digger wasp, great golden digger Order: Hymenoptera Family: Sphecidae Genus and species: Sphex ichneumoneus (Linnaeus) The golden digger wasp nests in sand or hard packed soil in southern Canada and the United States south to Brazil and Peru. Although the...

Minute egg wasp Order: Hymenoptera Family: Trichogrammatidae Genus and species: Trichogramma minutum Riley Trichogrammatids wasps are tiny parasites of the eggs of other insects. There are some 80 genera in the family, and about 210 species in the genus Trichogramma...

Elm sawfly Order: Hymenoptera Family: Cimbicidae Genus and species: Cimbex americana Leach The mature elm sawfly larva is a striking 2 ¼ inch animal that looks like a big, yellow caterpillar with a black stripe down its back. However, it is not even closely related to...

Mallow or hibiscus sawfly Order: Hymenoptera Family: Argidae Genus and species: Atomacera decepta Rohwer This pest of hibiscus, hollyhock, and other ornamentals has been called the hibiscus sawfly in the scientific literature. However, it attacks several members of...

Woolly bear caterpillar Order: Lepidoptera Family: Arctiidae Genus and species: Pyrrharctia isabella (Smith) In earlier times, when most Americans were involved in agricultural pursuits, the nation's welfare was defined by the weather, and severe winters had severe...

Yellow-collared scape moth Order: Lepidoptera Family: Arctiidae Genus and species: Cisseps fulvicollis (Hübner) The yellow-collared scape moth is distinctive and unusual in that it is one of few moths that fly during daylight. Because it is vulnerable to visual...

Southern armyworm Order: Lepidoptera Family: Noctuidae Genus and species: Spodoptera eridania (Stoll) The southern armyworm appears to be increasing in importance as a pest in some southern states, but it seems to have relatively minor impact in Arkansas. The...

Fall armyworm Order: Lepidoptera Family: Noctuidae Genus and species: Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) The fall armyworm is frequently a pest in the Deep South. The caterpillars feed on grasses and low-growing forbs and woody plants, including many field crops,...