What is the etymological meaning of the term Hymenoptera?

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Correct answer:  2 (Insects with two pairs of transparent wings)

Hymenopterans are holometabolous insects ranging in size from 0.1 mm to 10 cm, equipped with four membranous wings. The hind wings, which are narrower, are coupled to the broader forewings during flight by small hooks (hamuli).

The development of holometabolous insects is characterised by what is known as complete metamorphosis, which proceeds through four stages:

• the egg (immobile stage)
• the larva (active stage), whose morphology differs greatly from that of the adult
• the pupa (immobile stage), often protected by a cocoon, within which metamorphosis takes place
• the imago or adult (active stage)

The head is separated from the thorax by a very thin and highly mobile neck. The thorax is very short and fused to the first abdominal segment. In apocritans, the second abdominal segment is constricted, forming the “wasp waist”. Etymologically, Hymenoptera comes from Ancient Greek: “ptéron” meaning wing and “hymen” meaning membrane, hence “membranous wing”. One may also refer to Hymen, the Greek god of marriage, as the forewings and hind wings of these insects are joined, or more precisely coupled, during flight by hooks (hamuli).

Hymenopterans are further characterised by their mouthparts, which range from chewing to lapping types with intermediate forms. Their well-developed mandibles are used to capture prey and shape the nest; the maxillae and labium are joined by a membrane and form a kind of proboscis that allows the suction of liquids; the larvae are mostly legless but have a clearly visible head capsule; at the end of their development, the larvae often spin a cocoon from which the adult emerges after pupation; males are haploid, as their cells contain only one set of chromosomes, whereas females are diploid, their cells possessing a pair of each chromosome.

To explore further:

• Metamorphosis
• Introduction to bee genetics