sphecoid

Etymology
From, from.

Adjective

 * 1) Of or pertaining to wasps formerly classified in the superfamily  (corresponding to all wasps in ), now sometimes treated as the series.

Usage notes
The term pertains to a classification, or, that is paraphyletic and represents all members of Apoidea that are not bees. The classification has fallen out of use, but the adjective is still sometimes used, often in the collocation sphecoid wasp. Bees are now thought to have evolved from wasps of a subgroup of Apoidea (and therefore such a grouping of wasps that excludes bees must be paraphyletic).