What wasp is that?

Online key is available from

Lucid Central

Note: In 2022, the content from the CD ROM was converted into a freely available online key. The supporting technology was updated so it could run on newer operating systems.

The original content has not changed since 2007.

Description

The Hymenoptera (ants, bees, sawflies and wasps) are one of the ‘mega-diverse’ insect orders. Species occur ubiquitously from forests and woodlands to grasslands and wetlands, freshwater and intertidal zones to urban parks and gardens. Arguably, no other insect group plays such key roles in the functioning of ecosystems. Wasps regulate insect populations though predation and parasitism, bees are among the most important pollinators of flowering plants, and ants dominate many terrestrial landscapes where they are involved with vital ecological processes such as predation, seed dispersal and soil health.

This interactive Lucid key provides the means to identify the 67 families of Hymenoptera that occur across Australasia using over 250 full-colour, clearly annotated illustrations of features easily seen using basic light microscopy. The key contains a comprehensive introduction on the biology, morphology and classification of the group and includes over 350 colour photographs and detailed descriptions of each family. The numerical and ecological diversity of Hymenoptera make them an ideal study organism. As such, this key will be a valuable tool for students, researchers, biological control practitioners, those involved in ecological surveys and monitoring, or simply anyone with an interest in a unique and important, yet often unnoticed, component of our native biodiversity.

Tiphid sp. male

Tiphid sp. male

Information about the CD ROM (2007)

What wasp is that?
An interactive identification guide to the Australasian families of Hymenoptera
2007 cover

Electronic series: ABRS Identification Series
Publishers: Australian Biological Resources Study/Centre for Biological Information Technology (CBIT)
Year: 2007
Authors: N.B.Stevens, C.J.Stephens, Muhammad Iqbal, J.T.Jennings, J.La Salle, A.D.Austin
ISBN-10: 0 642 56851 0
ISBN-13: 978 0 642 56851 9

System requirements for the the CD ROM (2007)

Software: Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.4.2 or greater
Operating system: Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP/2003, Mac OSX, Linux, Solaris; Minimum 98mb of free disk space to run Java
System memory: 128mb RAM (256mb or greater recommended)
Screen Resolution: SVGA monitor (800 × 600 or better)
CD ROM drive: 4× speed or greater
Input device: Mouse
Web browser: Java-enabled web browser such as Internet Explorer, Netscape, FireFox or Safari