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The genus Omalus Panzer, 1801 is recorded for the first time in Korea with two species: Omalus aeneus (Fabricius, 1787) and a new species, O. exiguus n. sp. The new species is easily separated from congeners by small body, short notaulus pit, presence of paired anterior foveae and large median impunctate area on mesoscutellum, large brownish integument area and absence of apicomedian notch on T3, and brown to dark brown legs. Descriptions and images of these two species are provided.

Korean species of the family Sphecidae are reviewed, and seventeen species in nine genera belonging to three subfamilies are confirmed. Among them, Ammophila campestris and Sceliphron caementarium are new to South Korea. Korean occurrence of Sceliphron madraspatanum is confirmed with an actual Korean specimen. This paper provides the first determination keys to higher taxa and species occurring in South Korea. Taxonomic information of each species including original publication of valid name and justifiable references for Korean occurrence is provided. Digital images and line drawings for selective characteristics are also available.

A total of 107 forms of 88 eumenine wasp species occurring in the Far East were used to produce a more comprehensive picture of the geographical pattern of wasps in the Far East. All forms occurring in the Far East were biogeographically classified into 22 types in four larger categories, and a summarized table and discussion are presented. The eumenine wasp fauna of the Far East was characterized as a mixture of a fair number of endemic elements, a moderate number of transpalearctic elements, and some Oriental elements. The endemism of the Far East reached 0.71 at the species/subspecies level when the calculation was based on true Palearctic elements occurring in Far Eastern Russia, the Korean peninsula and Japan proper. The relationship between the Far Eastern fauna and the Central/Western Palearctic faunas was also analyzed and discussed. The species occurring in each treated district was counted, and provides evidence for the importance of the Korean fauna in biodiversity evaluation/estimation of Far Eastern fauna. The similarity index between the Korean Peninsula and Japan proper, the Korean Peninsula and the Russian Far East, and the Russian Far East and Japan proper was calculated to explain possible factors for faunal formation in the Far East. The distributional pattern of each form treated in this study and its relatives is tabulated in Appendix I.

The number of social hymenoptera have decreased due to accelerated urbanization in Seoul, Korea, during the 1970s–1990s. However, recent changes in environmental conditions have brought distinct re-growth of their colonies. In this study, we analyzed the re-colonization trend of social hymenoptera in Seoul with moving-out reports submitted to 119 rescue services from 2000 to 2009. A total of 14 253 social hymenoptera findings and treatment cases were reported during that time, and the reported numbers increased continuously every year. Among them, 87% of the cases were related to social wasps and 13% were for honeybees. Social wasps peaked from July to September, when the colonies matured, whereas honeybees peaked from April to July when colonies divided. As observed by geographical information system (GIS), moving-out cases formed hotspots in low-story buildings around green areas such as nearby forests or city green parks in Eunpyeong-gu and Gwanak-gu in Seoul. Among the social wasps, the most frequent species that caused a nuisance and direct stinging was Polistes rothneyi koreanus, the majority of which nested under eaves (63%). Among the honeybees, Apis mellifera was a nuisance while attaching to buildings and walls in the city (60%) during hive splitting. We present herein the situation of the return of social hymenoptera to Seoul and discuss the possible reasons for the recent increase in social wasps in urban areas, including enlarging the green space in urban areas and stable nesting places, which benefited colony development due to the relatively higher urban temperature and the few natural predators and parasitoids.

This is the first report of occurrence of Vespa velutina Lepeletier from Korea. The diagnosis and taxonomic relationship between geographical subspecies is provided, with a revised key to complement the previous taxonomic information of Korean Vespa species. The ecological aspect of the species is also discussed.

Far Eastern species of the genus Symmorphus Wesmael are taxonomically reviewed. Fourteen species are recognized. Taxonomic information regarding this group that has been treated fragmentarily is summarized in this study. A revised key is presented, and recognition characteristics and images are supplied for each species.

Repellent efficacies of two natural aroma compounds, citronella and citronellal, against mosquitoes, Culex pipiens pallens, were evaluated both in field and in vitro. In vitro, the experiment was conducted with three controlled bands impregnated with 30% citronella extract, 15% citronella extract and 30% citronellal extract, and with bands impregnated 30% citronella in field. Data was obtained by the means of counting numbers bitten by mosquitoes per unit time, namely human bait method. Percentage repellencies of above three controlled bands were calculated at 86%, 73%, and 78%, respectively in vitro, and 80% in field, showing high repellent effectiveness against mosquitoes. This estimation was also confirmed by t-test compared between control group and each experimental group.

Far eastern species of the genus Discoelius Latreille are taxonomically reviewed. Two species are confirmed: Discoelius zonalis (Panzer) and D. dufourii Lepeletier. Discoelius japonicus originally described from Japan is synonymized under D. zonalis. Discoelius dufourii is newly recorded in Manchuria and Korea. The taxonomic status of D. manchurianus is briefly discussed.

Taxonomic study of the genus Anterhynchium from the Eastern Asia is carried out. A total of 15 forms included in four species were reviewed: A. melanopterum, A. flavopunctatum flavopunctatum, A. flavopuntatum opulentum, A. yunnanensis, A. flavomarginatum flavomarginatum, A. f. koreanum, A. f. tsushimarum, A. f. umenoi, A. f. micado, A. f. procella, A. f. insulicola, A. f. sulphreum, A. f. amamense, A. f. hanedai and A. f. formosicola. However, the A. flavopunctatum opulentum and A. yunnanensis are only cited for future work, due to the lack of available materials. Key to the other species and subspecies are revised, and photos showing diagnostic characters and coloration are presented. The male genitalic characters for accurate identification were separately discussed.

Ectopioglossa taiwana (Sonan) is redescribed based on the specimens from Taiwan and Korea, including newly discovered males. This genus is newly recorded in Korea.

The genus Hedychrum Latreille is the second largest one of the tribe Elampini (Chrysidinae: Chrysididae), with 146 extant species mainly distributed in Eastern Hemisphere. Almost entire species of the genus were known to be the cleptoparasites ofsphecid subfamily Philanthinae (Kimsey and Bohart, 1990). The members of Hedychrum are small to medium-sized chrysidid wasps ranging from 3.5 mm to 8.5 mm in body length, and separated from other generic members by the following combination of characteristics. Scapal basin somewhat deeply excavated and compactly cross-ridged, presence of a sharp tooth on base of oral fossa, presence of anteromedial pit on pronotum, rounded mesopleuron with indistinct omaulus and short scrobal sulcus, lacking of medial enclosure on propodeum, presence (sometimes obsolete) of pit or depression in mid and hind tibial inner faces, enlarged hind femur, tarsal claw with sub-parallel tooth (appearing apically bifid), forewing medial vein very slightly curved (almost straight), stigma slender and apically acute, tergum III usually with lateral tooth and sub-apically swollen, female sternum III with sub-basal sulcus extending toward mid-line and often with apicomedial tubercle. So far, taxonomic information on KoreanHedychrum has been fragmentary and secondary in previous regional-based studies (Uchida, 1927; Tsuneki, 1953; Terayama et al., 2005) that providedjust outline of the occurrence of four species. We reviewed the genus Hedychrumin Korea, and confirmed six species including four previously known ones. Among them, Hedychrumkoreanum Ha and Kim is here supposed to be new to science, and H. chalybaeumis new to Korea. The new species is very similar to H. okai, but easily separated by the presence of carinae on ventrolateral face of fore-femur and difference in coloration. Key, description, additional diagnosis, and digital images are provided.

This study conducted an investigation on the damage by social wasps within the metropolis of Seoul and Busan of Korea. Damage by social wasps in Seoul has increased 5.5 times with total 12,406 cases in the past ten years. Damages were arisen from July to September the most at the outskirts of a city near mountains and continuously increased within the internal area of city. Social wasps turned out to inhabit open spaces such as eaves, window frame and garden among 49 nesting places and Polistes rothneyi koreanus were most frequently found of all species. As the final outcome, increase of green space within the urban area, stability of nesting place, city temperature, stability against natural enemy, influence of media are believed to be the reasons of increase of social wasps within the city.