Mexican Honey Wasp
Brachygastra mellifica
This record describes Brachygastra mellifica (species). Recorded family: Vespidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Det. K. Wolgemuth, 2017 One of the very few insects other than bees to produce and store honey. They are docile a lot, but then they can explode, attacking en masse. (Joan Strassmann, pers. comm. to MAQ) nests can be surprisingly large. Frank A. Eischen (pers. comm. to MAQ, July 2007) reported finding occupied nests as long as about three feet.
Identification notes
Det. K. Wolgemuth, 2017
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Vespoidea
- Family
- Vespidae
- Subfamily
- Polistinae
- Genus
- Brachygastra (Honey Wasps)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Occurs in all but the driest habitats ( 3 ) Nest placement is in the midcanopy of a tree or shrub from 1 to 9 m above ground level. Nests are sparse and difficult to find in native brush but relatively common in suburban settings where they are easily spotted in deciduous trees in winter. (Sugden & McAllen 1994)
Geographic Range
s. AZ, c. TX to Panama - Map (Sugden & McAllen 1994) two AZ records, both from Nogales, Santa Cruz Co., one from ca. 1907 (Cameron, 1907) and the second record from 2017 (BG data) current northern-most records from Berry Springs Park and Preserve in Williamson Co. near the city of Georgetown, Texas as of 2020.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on honey ( 3 ) , and probably also pollen; this is unusual for vespids.
Life History
Eusocial , with worker and reproductive castes. More than one queen per hive, and there are females present with ovaries intermediate in size between workers and queens. Form large colonies by swarming (coordinated groups of queens and workers). Store honey, but do not cap cells, as do bees. Nests are perennial, built in low trees, with as many as 50,000 cells. ( 4 ) ( 5 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Brachygastra mellifica ( Say 1837)
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Brachygastra mellifica. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Mexican Honey Wasp (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Cotinis; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , Mike Quinn , v belov , PaleoJon
Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Honey Wasp
What is Mexican Honey Wasp?
Mexican Honey Wasp (Brachygastra mellifica) is a species in the family Vespidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How big is Mexican Honey Wasp?
7-9 mm
How do you identify Mexican Honey Wasp?
Det. K. Wolgemuth, 2017
Where is Mexican Honey Wasp found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Occurs in all but the driest habitats ( 3 ) Nest placement is in the midcanopy of a tree or shrub from 1 to 9 m above ground level. Nests are sparse and difficult to find in native brush but relatively common in suburban settings where they are easily spotted in deciduous trees in winter. (Sugden & McAllen 1994) |
| Range | s. AZ, c. TX to Panama - Map (Sugden & McAllen 1994) two AZ records, both from Nogales, Santa Cruz Co., one from ca. 1907 (Cameron, 1907) and the second record from 2017 (BG data) current northern-most records from Berry Springs Park and Preserve in Williamson Co. near the city of Georgetown, Texas as of 2020. |
What does Mexican Honey Wasp eat?
The diet of the Mexican Honey Wasp includes Larvae feed on honey ( 3 ) , and probably also pollen; this is unusual for vespids..
What is the life cycle of a Mexican Honey Wasp?
Eusocial , with worker and reproductive castes. More than one queen per hive, and there are females present with ovaries intermediate in size between workers and queens. Form large colonies by swarming (coordinated groups of queens and workers). Store honey, but do not cap cells, as do bees. Nests are perennial, built in low trees, with as many as 50,000 cells. ( 4 ) ( 5 )