Brachygastra mellifica
Encyclopedia
Brachygastra mellifica, commonly known as the Mexican Honey Wasp, is a small Neotropical paper wasp
that is distributed from southern Texas
and extreme southeastern Arizona
in the United States
south through Mexico
and Central America
. The specific name means "honey-making," and this species is well-known as one of the very few insects other than bee
s to produce and store honey
. It is a dark wasp with some yellow bands on the abdomen, and very fine, slightly shining golden-brown pubescence on the body.
The nests are constructed out of paper, placed among the branches of trees and shrubs, and measure 40–50 cm (1.3–1.6 ft) in diameter when mature, with 10 or more layers of horizontal honeycomb
ed cells within the outer envelope. Many of the empty cells on the periphery of the nest are used to store honey that the wasps produce by concentrating nectar, in much the same fashion as the familiar honey bee
s. The honey is fed to the wasp larva
e, and is their primary, if not sole, food source (adults have been observed capturing insect prey, which is typical behavior for paper wasps). Nests are founded by swarms, also somewhat similar to honey bees, but the swarms contain multiple queens, as do the mature nests. There can be several thousand workers in a mature nest, and workers are somewhat aggressive; the sting is barbed, yet another feature convergent
with honey bees.
The honey produced by these wasps is consumed by humans, though the nectar from certain common plants (e.g., Datura
) can result in the honey being toxic.
Paper wasp
Paper wasps are -long wasps that gather fibers from dead wood and plant stems, which they mix with saliva, and use to construct water-resistant nests made of gray or brown papery material...
that is distributed from southern Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and extreme southeastern Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
south through Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. The specific name means "honey-making," and this species is well-known as one of the very few insects other than bee
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s to produce and store honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
. It is a dark wasp with some yellow bands on the abdomen, and very fine, slightly shining golden-brown pubescence on the body.
The nests are constructed out of paper, placed among the branches of trees and shrubs, and measure 40–50 cm (1.3–1.6 ft) in diameter when mature, with 10 or more layers of horizontal honeycomb
Honeycomb
A honeycomb is a mass of hexagonal waxcells built by honey bees in their nests to contain their larvae and stores of honey and pollen.Beekeepers may remove the entire honeycomb to harvest honey...
ed cells within the outer envelope. Many of the empty cells on the periphery of the nest are used to store honey that the wasps produce by concentrating nectar, in much the same fashion as the familiar honey bee
Honey bee
Honey bees are a subset of bees in the genus Apis, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests out of wax. Honey bees are the only extant members of the tribe Apini, all in the genus Apis...
s. The honey is fed to the wasp larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e, and is their primary, if not sole, food source (adults have been observed capturing insect prey, which is typical behavior for paper wasps). Nests are founded by swarms, also somewhat similar to honey bees, but the swarms contain multiple queens, as do the mature nests. There can be several thousand workers in a mature nest, and workers are somewhat aggressive; the sting is barbed, yet another feature convergent
Convergent evolution
Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages.The wing is a classic example of convergent evolution in action. Although their last common ancestor did not have wings, both birds and bats do, and are capable of powered flight. The wings are...
with honey bees.
The honey produced by these wasps is consumed by humans, though the nectar from certain common plants (e.g., Datura
Datura
Datura is a genus of nine species of vespertine flowering plants belonging to the family Solanaceae. Its precise and natural distribution is uncertain, owing to its extensive cultivation and naturalization throughout the temperate and tropical regions of the globe...
) can result in the honey being toxic.