The Hymenoptera Glossary is an initial product of an ongoing effort by the hymenoptera community to build an ontology (an explicit, controlled vocabulary of morphological terms) relating to Hymenoptera. The ontology is fully accessible and editable through the web, and interested parties are encouraged to look at the Hymenoptera Ontology website and Wiki to get involved in its development. The ontology builder is mx, a web-based content management system for evolutionary systematists, which links to images deposited in Morphbank. An initial version of the Hymenoptera Ontology will be approved by the members of the International Society of Hymenopterists and made available in a format that allows incorporation into Morphbank and other databasing projects.