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Wasps, bees and ants of

Saint Helena island

(Life: Kingdom: Metazoa (animals); Phylum: Arthropoda; Class: Hexapoda; Order: Hymenoptera)

Several wasp species that are endemic to Saint Helena have already been described, but given the extreme isolation and age of the island there are likely to be many more species that are only found on Saint Helena and nowhere else in the world. Large numbers of non-native species have been introduced to the island, either deliberately or accidentally, and these may now outnumber native species.

We here provide a dynamic overview of existing knowledge of the wasp, bee and ant fauna known for Saint Helena based on Key et al. (2021; 2026). The site content is a work in progress and as new knowledge is gleaned the checklist will be accordingly updated. Generic and species determinations were done by Steve Compton (Leeds University).

The report to the St Helena National Trust / St Helena Government on the parasitoid wasps is available as a pdf download:

Key, Roger, Key Rosy, Compton SG. 2026. The Parasitoid Wasps of St Helena Island a summary of current information with live photographs mainly by Liza Fowler. Unpublished Report to the St Helena National Trust / St Helena Government.

 
SYMPHYTA
 
Siricoidea
Siricidae
 
APOCRITA - PARASITICA
 
Ceraphronoidea

Ceraphronidae

Megaspilidae

 
Chalcidoidea

Aphelinidae

Chalcididae

Encyrtidae

Eulophidae
Eupelmidae
Eurytomidae
Megastigmidae

Mymaridae

Perilampidae
Pteromalidae
Signiphoridae
Spalangiiidae
Trichogrammatidae
 
Cynipoidea
Figitidae
 
Diaprioidea
Diapriidae
 
Evanioidea
Evaniidae
 
Ichneumonoidea
Braconidae
Ichneumonidae
 
Platygastroidea
Scelionidae
 
APOCRITA - ACULEATA
 
Apoidea

Ampulicidae

Apidae
Bembicidae
Colletidae
Crabronidae
Sphecidae
 
Chrysidoidea

Bethylidae

Dryinidae
 
Formicoidea
Formicidae
   
Vespoidea
Vespidae
 

References

Key R, Fowler L, Pryce D. 2021.Terrestrial & Freshwater Invertebrates of St. Helena. Pisces Publications an imprint of NatureBureau. 220 pp.

Key, Roger, Key Rosy, Compton SG. 2026. The Parasitoid Wasps of St Helena Island a summary of current information with live photographs mainly by Liza Fowler. Unpublished Report to the St Helena National Trust / St Helena Government.

Mendel H, Ashmole P, Ashmole M. 2008. Invertebrates of the Central Peaks and Peak Dale, St Helena (with additional records from other sites). Report Commissioned by the St Helena National Trust Financed by the Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP).

Credits

Photographs mostly © Roger S. Key, a few © John Huber or Gavin Broad or Simon van Noort. Photos of live specimens mostly © Liz Fowler.

Web author Simon van Noort (Iziko South African Museum)

Citation: van Noort, S. 2026. WaspWeb: Hymenoptera of the World. URL: www.waspweb.org (accessed on <day/month/year>).

Copyright 2004-2026 Iziko Museums of South Africa

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