Vespidae of the Middle East (Hymenoptera): Hornets, Paper Wasps, Pollen Wasps, Potter Wasps, and Yellowjackets
暫譯: 中東胡蜂科（膜翅目）：胡蜂、紙蜂、花粉蜂、泥壺蜂與黃胡蜂

廣布全球的胡蜂科 Vespidae（膜翅目 Hymenoptera：胡蜂總科 Vespoidea）約包含 5,000 個已描述物種，傳統上分為六個亞科：窄腹胡蜂亞科 Stenogastrinae、廣義壺蜂亞科 Eumeninae s.l.、Euparagiinae、花蜂亞科 Masarinae、長腳胡蜂亞科 Polistinae，以及胡蜂亞科 Vespinae。胡蜂的社會行為多樣，從獨居築巢，到高度真社會性、如同超個體般運作的社會群體皆有。胡蜂在陸域生態系統中扮演重要角色，並被視為高效的生物防治者，會捕食毛毛蟲及其他昆蟲，其中包括許多農業害蟲。此外，胡蜂位於陸域節肢動物食物網的高階位置，且會造訪花朵吸食花蜜，因此也有助於果樹與蔬菜作物的授粉。有些胡蜂物種已成為入侵性害蟲，和／或因螫刺疼痛而令人畏懼；對其毒液過敏者甚至可能因螫傷而死亡。

本書首次全面整理中東地區的胡蜂科，詳細介紹分屬四個亞科、69 個屬的 716 個有效物種與亞種：廣義壺蜂亞科 Eumeninae s.l.、花蜂亞科 Masarinae、長腳胡蜂亞科 Polistinae，以及胡蜂亞科 Vespinae。本書完整整理該地區已知的所有亞科，並說明其一般生物學、生態學與地理分布。此外，書中也討論形態特徵、屬級及部分物種的鑑定檢索表、經濟重要性、各類群的診斷特徵，以及其與相關類群之間的親緣關係。全書附有超過 800 筆參考文獻，便於進一步研究；同時，在可能的情況下，內容均已更新，以反映目前最前沿的知識。

作為中東地區胡蜂科的權威指南，本書是研究全球胡蜂的學者與研究人員不可或缺的重要參考資料。

Hassan Ghahari is currently working as a professor of entomology (insect systematics, and biological control) at Plant Protection Department, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. He received his B.S. degree in Plant Protection from Urmia University, M.Sc. in Agricultural Entomology from Isfahan University of Technology, and Ph.D. in Agricultural Entomology from Tehran Islamic Azad University. He is an accomplished scholar and expert in the field of insect systematics and biological control. He teaches several courses in entomology and has guided many M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. He has received several research grants from Islamic Azad University as well as many Iranian prestigious awards and coveted honors.

Dr. Ghahari has authored or co-authored more than 250 scientific papers in peer-reviewed international journals together with several authorized entomologists from different countries. He has served as editor for several books and co-authored over 150 book chapters for various reputable publishers (e.g., CABI, Elsevier, Springer, Magnolia Press, CRC Press, and IAU Press) on various topics related to insect systematics and biological control. He also is a member of the editorial board of many agricultural scientific journals in different countries.

Neveen Samy Gadallah is professor of insect taxonomy in the Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Egypt. She earned her B.S. in Entomology, as well as her M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Insect Taxonomy, from Cairo University. Her research focuses on insect biodiversity and taxonomy, particularly within the order Hymenoptera in the Middle East. She has authored and co-authored over 150 scientific papers, monographs, books and book chapters published in peer-reviewed international journals and publishers, collaborating with numerous hymenopteran taxonomists worldwide. She has also served as an associate editor in many scientific journals.

Patrick K. Piekarski is a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior at The Rockefeller University, USA. He holds a B.Sc. (Honors) in Zoology from the University of Calgary, M.Sc. in Biology from the University of Central Florida, and Ph.D. in Biology from The Rockefeller University. His research spans Vespidae taxonomy and phylogenetics, animal social behavior, particularly in wasps and ants, as well as molecular biology and behavioral genetics. Dr. Piekarski has received several awards and fellowships, including the prestigious NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship. He has authored or co-authored seven peer-reviewed journal articles, including a landmark study reconstructing the phylogeny of the Vespidae family.

He has presented his work at major scientific conferences and has been a member of several professional societies, including the American Genetics Association, the International Union for the Study of Social Insects, the Entomological Society of America, and the International Society of Hymenopterists. Driven by a fascination with insect societies, Dr. Piekarski investigates how genetics and the social environment shape behavior and morphology.

Hassan Ghahari 目前任教於伊朗德黑蘭 Islamic Azad University Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey 分校植物保護系，擔任昆蟲學教授，研究領域包括昆蟲系統學與生物防治。他於 Urmia University 取得植物保護學學士學位，於 Isfahan University of Technology 取得農業昆蟲學碩士學位，並於 Tehran Islamic Azad University 取得農業昆蟲學博士學位。他是昆蟲系統學與生物防治領域傑出的學者與專家，教授多門昆蟲學課程，並指導許多碩士與博士研究生。他曾獲得 Islamic Azad University 提供的多項研究補助，以及許多伊朗知名獎項與榮譽。

Ghahari 博士曾與來自不同國家的多位知名昆蟲學家合作，在國際同儕審查期刊上發表或共同發表超過 250 篇科學論文。他曾擔任多本書籍的編輯，並與他人共同為各種知名出版社（例如 CABI、Elsevier、Springer、Magnolia Press、CRC Press 與 IAU Press）撰寫超過 150 篇書籍章節，主題涵蓋昆蟲系統學與生物防治的各個面向。此外，他也是多個國家許多農業科學期刊編輯委員會的成員。

Neveen Samy Gadallah 是埃及 Cairo University 理學院昆蟲學系的昆蟲分類學教授。她於 Cairo University 取得昆蟲學學士學位，以及昆蟲分類學碩士與博士學位。她的研究聚焦於昆蟲生物多樣性與分類學，尤其是中東地區膜翅目（Hymenoptera）昆蟲。她曾在國際同儕審查期刊及出版社發表或共同發表超過 150 篇科學論文、專著、書籍與書籍章節，並與世界各地眾多膜翅目分類學家合作。她也曾擔任多份科學期刊的副編輯。

Patrick K. Piekarski 是美國 The Rockefeller University 社會演化與行為實驗室的博士後研究員。他於 University of Calgary 取得動物學理學士（榮譽）學位，於 University of Central Florida 取得生物學碩士學位，並於 The Rockefeller University 取得生物學博士學位。他的研究涵蓋胡蜂科（Vespidae）的分類學與系統發育學、動物社會行為（尤其是胡蜂與螞蟻的社會行為），以及分子生物學與行為遺傳學。Piekarski 博士曾獲得多項獎項與研究獎助，包括享有盛譽的 NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship。他曾發表或共同發表七篇經同儕審查的期刊論文，其中包括一項重建胡蜂科系統發育關係的奠基性研究。

他曾在多場重要科學會議上發表研究成果，並曾加入多個專業學會，包括 American Genetics Association、International Union for the Study of Social Insects、Entomological Society of America，以及 International Society of Hymenopterists。Piekarski 博士對昆蟲社會深感著迷，致力於研究遺傳因素與社會環境如何形塑昆蟲的行為與形態。