Introduction

The Hymenoptera, with more than 115,000 described species, includes as much as 10% of the species diversity of the planet. Economically and ecologically, they are one of the most important groups of organisms. Various Hymenoptera are either severe economic pests threatening both the forest industry and wheat farming (sawflies), medical and noxious pests of urban landscapes (stinging wasps and ants), pollinators (bees and others), and defenders of our agricultural crops through their ability to parasitize and control pest insects (parasitic Apocrita).