HYM Course 2018 will be held 1-14 July 2018, in Nantou Province, Taiwan, Rep. of China. More information coming soon. The main objective of the course is to provide participants with knowledge and experience in identifying parasitic and predatory wasps, sawflies, wood wasps, bees, and ants. We will also present information on the natural history of wasps, bees, and ants, and that information will be reinforced with fieldwork. Techniques used to collect, rear, preserve, and curate wasps, bees, and ants will be presented in a hands-on manner to allow participants to learn directly by doing.

Hymenoptera of the World: an Identification Guide to Families, edited by H. Goulet and J. Huber, 1993, is the main reference used for the course. This book provides well-illustrated keys to all superfamilies and families, as well as subfamilies in some cases. Recommended texts/online resources for the course are:

1. Goulet, H. and J. T. Huber. 1993. Hymenoptera of the World: an Identification Guide to Families. Agriculture Canada, Ottawa. 668 pp.


2. Gibson, G. A. P., J. T. Huber, and J. B. Woolley. 1997. Annotated Keys to the Genera of Nearctic Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera). NRC Research Press, Ottawa. 794 pp.


3. Wharton, R. A., P. M. Marsh, and M. J. Sharkey. 1997. Manual of the New World Genera of the Family Braconidae (Hymenoptera). Special Publication No. 1. International Society of Hymenopterists, Washington, D.C. 439 pp.


4. Wahl, D. 2016. Key to the subfamilies of North and Central American Ichneumonidae. http://www.amentinst.org/Subfamily_Key.php


5. An online version of the key portion of: Grissell, E. E. and M. E. Schauff. 1990. A handbook of the families of Nearctic Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera). Entomological Society of Washington (Washington, D.C.) Handbook 1: 1-85.

A few copies of references 1-3 listed above will be available for use at the course; reference 1 can be downloaded prior to the course. Participants will be given updated printouts of pertinent sections for the references listed above (e.g., keys and corresponding illustrations). In some cases, new keys that are in preparation may be used. We encourage participants to acquire these references independently in advance of the course if possible.