Phylogenomics using genome reduction techniques is the current status quo for studying the phylogeny and evolution. For Hymenoptera and some other insect groups, the targeted enrichment of Ultraconserved Elements (UCEs) has become the dominant approach, with most new studies using this method. However, as quickly as this method has been adopted, decreasing sequencing costs have already made sequencing full genomes increasingly feasible. In this talk I will discuss the development and application of UCE sequencing to the study of bees, ants, and wasps, and I will compare this approach to emerging methods, particularly the sequencing of low coverage genomes (LCGs) and reference quality genomes (WGSs). Much uncertainty exists about when or if to transition from genes to genomes and I will outline and discuss some of these issues here. As full genome data become more readily available and affordable, the fields of phylogenetics and genomics will become increasingly integrated, offering new opportunities and challenges for the next-generation of Hymenoptera systematist.
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