Phylogeny of the Hymenoptera (Insecta): The state of the art

The Hymenoptera form one of the major insect orders in terms of species div ersity and they are also of great ecological and economic importance, notab ly as pollinators and natural enemies of pests. Phylogenies provide an esse ntial framework for systematic, comparative and evolutionary research on hy menopterans, Here, I summarise what we know about the higher-level phylogen y of the Hymenoptera based on presentations given at a recent symposium on hymenopteran phylogenetics. I identify agreement and conflict among morphol ogical and molecular analyses and suggest important priority areas for futu re research.