AuthorWillmer, P.
Year1985
TitleBees, Ants and Wasps: A key to genera of the British Aculeates
SeriesAIDGAP
TypeBook/Report
SourceAIDGAP, 7, 27pp, Field Studies Council
IllustrationsLine drawings in the text
Review (by Malcolm Storey)

Set of flow chart keys to genera, followed by confirmatory characters for each genus. Since many genera are monospecific, this will often take you to the species.

The key is easy to use but can be unreliable.

Errata, Corrigenda & Comments

P22: 3rd question/2nd choice: SM2 can be 6-sided (*Tachysphex*).

P24: some (eg metallic) species of *Halictus* will key to *Lasioglossum* and some *Lasioglossum* have hairs at both ends of the segments. Additional characters:

surfaces with metallic reflections … *Halictus*
distal cross-veins paler than proximal … *Lasioglossum*
all cross-veins equally black … *Halictus*
P26: *Panurgus calcaratus* keys out with *Chelostoma* (2nd entry). (Male *P. calcaratus* has a massive femoral spine)

Examine Stereo Microscope
Specimen PreparationPinned and set insects
Identification difficultyStraightforward, but doesn’t always take you to the right genus. (Going beyond genus rapidly gets difficult!)

Notes & PurposeStatusTaxonEnglishClassification
For identificationCurrentAculeataaculeates: bees, wasps and antsAnimalia: Hymenoptera
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