Brachygastra
1 species
Honey wasps are species in the genus Brachygastra of the family Vespidae. Brachygastra comprises 17 species of social paper wasps. The ancestral species are thought to have diverged about 32 million years ago within diverse Amazonian rainforest. Subsequent speciation within the genus is thought to have mostly occurred between 23 Ma and 10 Ma, during the time of the Andean uplift when the landscape was significantly altered due to tectonic activity. The current cladistic organisation of the genus has been heavily reliant on morphological characteristics.
Brachygastra species live in colonies and construct arboreal paper nests in humid forest environments, although several species occur in open vegetation. They are widely distributed in Central and South America, and also occur in southwest areas of North America. They have a broad diet consisting of floral nectar and insect protein. Several species are known to collect and store nectar in large amounts as honey, a characteristic in the insect world only shared with various bee species, a few wasp species (Polybia spp.), and a few ant species (Myrmecocystus spp. and other genera). There are few historical reports of humans using honey produced by honey wasps, probably due to its small quantities and the wasp's fierce sting.
The species can provide important ecosystem services such as pollination, herbivore deterrence and predation of disease vectors.
The species of the genus Brachygastra are a common component of neotropical social wasp fauna. The genus is broadly distributed throughout Central and South America, absent only from Chile, Uruguay and central and south Argentina. One species, B. mellifica, occurs in southwest United States, in Texas and Arizona.
Humid and forested environments are typical habitat for these wasps, although B. augusti, B. mouleae, B. moebiana and B. lecheguana can inhabit areas with open vegetation. Two species, B. borellii and B. baccaraulea, live in upland areas. The lecheguana group occurs in the Atlantic rainforest and Nearctic region, the scutellaris group lives mostly in the Atlantic forest and the smithii group is confined to the Amazon rainforest. Finally, B. azteca, a sister species to all other species of the genus, occurs in Mexico.
Honey wasps are species in the genus Brachygastra of the family Vespidae. Brachygastra comprises 17 species of social paper wasps. The ancestral species are thought to have diverged about 32 million years ago within diverse Amazonian rainforest. Subsequent speciation within the genus is thought to have mostly occurred between 23 Ma and 10 Ma, during the time of the Andean uplift when the landscape was significantly altered due to tectonic activity. The current cladistic organisation of the genus has been heavily reliant on morphological characteristics.
Brachygastra species live in colonies and construct arboreal paper nests in humid forest environments, although several species occur in open vegetation. They are widely distributed in Central and South America, and also occur in southwest areas of North America. They have a broad diet consisting of floral nectar and insect protein. Several species are known to collect and store nectar in large amounts as honey, a characteristic in the insect world only shared with various bee species, a few wasp species (Polybia spp.), and a few ant species (Myrmecocystus spp. and other genera). There are few historical reports of humans using honey produced by honey wasps, probably due to its small quantities and the wasp's fierce sting.
The species can provide important ecosystem services such as pollination, herbivore deterrence and predation of disease vectors.
The species of the genus Brachygastra are a common component of neotropical social wasp fauna. The genus is broadly distributed throughout Central and South America, absent only from Chile, Uruguay and central and south Argentina. One species, B. mellifica, occurs in southwest United States, in Texas and Arizona.
Humid and forested environments are typical habitat for these wasps, although B. augusti, B. mouleae, B. moebiana and B. lecheguana can inhabit areas with open vegetation. Two species, B. borellii and B. baccaraulea, live in upland areas. The lecheguana group occurs in the Atlantic rainforest and Nearctic region, the scutellaris group lives mostly in the Atlantic forest and the smithii group is confined to the Amazon rainforest. Finally, B. azteca, a sister species to all other species of the genus, occurs in Mexico.