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Hymenoptera Part 1 Trivia Quiz

This quiz deals with North American members of the insect order, Hymenoptera. In particular, cicada killers, certain parasite types and velvet ants are covered. Proceed if you wish.

A multiple-choice quiz by Maijin. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Maijin

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
244,869

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
612

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which commonly named insects does the order, Hymenoptera, comprise? Hint

bees, wasps, mosquitoes

ants, bees, dragonflies

wasps, ants, bees

bees, wasps, dragonflies

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. What is the species name of the mighty wasp, of the Sphecid family, the commonly known cicada killer? Hint

Sphecius speciosus

Sphecious cicadis

Pompilid muscid

Pompilid mascad

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Question 3 of 10

3. Cicada killers provision their nests with cicadas. Which best describes this arrangement? Hint

One to two cicadas in each nest, each placed on the egg furthest the exit

Each nest is provided with as many cicadas as the parents can find

One to two cicadas in each nest, each placed on the egg nearest the exit

One to two cicadas in each nest, each placed each egg in the nest

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Question 4 of 10

4. Let's do some vocabulary questions about parasitic wasps. What is a parasitoid? Hint

A parasite that parasitises a parasite

A parasite that does not kill its host, just eats its host's food

A parasite that has no nervous system

A parasite that is attuned to the growth and development of its host larva

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Question 5 of 10

5. What is a hyperparasite? Hint

A parasite that is attuned to the growth and development of its host larva

A really, really strong parasite

A parasite that moves at incredibly high speeds

A parasite that parasitises a parasite

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Question 6 of 10

6. Cuckoo wasps or Chrysididae are inquiline parasites. What does it mean to be an inquiline? Hint

A parasite that is attuned to the growth and development of its host larva

They steal nectar from bees

A parasite that parasitises a parasite

They kill the host parasite and feed on its intended food supply

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. All right, time for some questions about one of my favorite wasps, the velvet ants. For starters, what is their family name? Hint

Apidae

Pompilidae

Mutillidae

Vespidae

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Question 8 of 10

8. What do adult velvet ants feed on? Hint

Any larva they can find

Anything they can find

Nectar and water

Fly larva

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Question 9 of 10

9. Certain ground-nesting Hymenoptera are critical to the survival of velvet ants. Why is this? Hint

Because they harvest nectar

Because female velvet ants don't have wings, so other types of wasp feed their young

Because they corral the velvet ants food source into apropriate biomes

Velvet ant larva feed upon such insects as bumblebees and sand wasps

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Question 10 of 10

10. Why are certain velvet ants called "cow-killers"? Hint

Because there is a legend about them being able to slay cows

They have never been referred to as cow-killers

Because cows end up eating alot of them and it clogs their digestive tracts, causing a death-dealing fecal impaction

Because their sting is said to be painful enough to kill a cow

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which commonly named insects does the order, Hymenoptera, comprise?

Answer: wasps, ants, bees

This order comprises the Formicids, the ants; the wasp superfamilies, Apocrita and Symphita; and the Apids (bees).
Dragonflies are order Odonata, sf. Anisoptera and mosquitoes are Dipterans under the family, Culicidae.

2. What is the species name of the mighty wasp, of the Sphecid family, the commonly known cicada killer?

Answer: Sphecius speciosus

The other two names are made-up. The cicada killer is a particularly robust wasp that normally minds humans little, until it is majorly disrupted. The female's sting is said to be incredibly painful.

3. Cicada killers provision their nests with cicadas. Which best describes this arrangement?

Answer: One to two cicadas in each nest, each placed on the egg furthest the exit

Cicada killers can often be seen in the late summer, buzzing from one tree to the next, in hunt of food for their young. Mid-flight captures occur.

4. Let's do some vocabulary questions about parasitic wasps. What is a parasitoid?

Answer: A parasite that is attuned to the growth and development of its host larva

Parasitoids are so attuned to their host, they devour the prey's innards in ascending order of importance, keeping the victim alive as long as possible. Horrifying indeed.

5. What is a hyperparasite?

Answer: A parasite that parasitises a parasite

An example of a hyperparasite would be the Cynopoid genus Alloxysta. This wasp would find an aphid that has a braconid or chalcid wasp parasitic larva inside it, and then inject the egg of its own larva into the aphid's abdomen and further then, into the actual body of the original parasite.

6. Cuckoo wasps or Chrysididae are inquiline parasites. What does it mean to be an inquiline?

Answer: They kill the host parasite and feed on its intended food supply

Inquiline parasites kill their host larva and feed on its food supply. For this they are also called cleptoparasites. Inquiline in general means to live within a host's environment with or without the parasitism.

7. All right, time for some questions about one of my favorite wasps, the velvet ants. For starters, what is their family name?

Answer: Mutillidae

Vespidae are wasps mostly, Apidae are bees and Pompilidae are spider-hunting wasps. The velvet ants are wasps though the females, having no wings and sometimes reddish colouration, are often mistaken for ants, hence their common name. Males have wings and are seldom spotted by the casual observer.

8. What do adult velvet ants feed on?

Answer: Nectar and water

Most adult wasps feed on nectar and water. Many are under the impression that this is not so, as they often spy a wasp with some other insect in its mandibles. Almost always, this is food for the wasp's larvae.

9. Certain ground-nesting Hymenoptera are critical to the survival of velvet ants. Why is this?

Answer: Velvet ant larva feed upon such insects as bumblebees and sand wasps

Female velvet ants roam sandy areas in search of sand wasp larva and bumblebee nests to steal from.

10. Why are certain velvet ants called "cow-killers"?

Answer: Because their sting is said to be painful enough to kill a cow

Female velvet ants have an incredibly painful sting. It is said, in exaggeration, they could fell a cow with this sting.

Source: Author Maijin

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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