第 0980 号，共 1 402 张

Mexican honey wasp

Brachygastra mellifica

名字的由来： The genus name Brachygastra comes from Ancient Greek words meaning 'short belly', and the species name mellifica is Latin for 'to make honey'.1

只是会疼会疼，但不会对你造成严重伤害。

蜜蜂、胡蜂和大黄蜂

蜇伤吃：昆虫

对人的危险: 很疼可能真的很疼，但几乎从不严重。

The Mexican honey wasp is a small social wasp that lives in colonies and builds large paper nests. It is one of the few wasps that makes honey, and it helps pollinate avocado flowers. It lives from Panama through Central America and Mexico, and in parts of Arizona and Texas.1

生活在

From northern Panama through Central America and Mexico, plus southeastern Arizona and southern Texas in the USA.1

北美洲

首页

It builds its nest in the canopy of a shrub or tree, often 1 to 9 m above the ground, and the nest is well hidden by leaves. Nests are often reported in suburban areas close to people's homes.1

长度

7 mm到9 mm (0.3 in到0.4 in)1

最高速度

约 20 公里/小时（12 英里/小时）

飞行, 粗略估计

它吃什么？

It hunts the psyllid Diaphorina citri in tree shoots, sucking its body fluids and sometimes eating the whole insect. It also eats weevil larvae and moth larvae.1

Mexican honey wasp的照片 — Mexican honey wasp。照片：Francisco Farriols Sarabia。 CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist.

怎样认出它

Alternating bands of yellow and black across the abdomen (the rear part of the body).1
Small, with a body length of 7 to 9 mm.1
Abdomen can be almost as wide as it is long.1
Paper nests 40 to 50 cm across, with a rough, brown or grey, non-glossy surface like cardboard.1
Queens have a dark reddish-brown abdomen.1

常被误认为： It is very similar in appearance to Brachygastra lecheguana. The two species are mainly told apart by where they live.1

毒液之力

蜇伤

毒液通过蜇刺出来。

它对人有多危险？

对人的危险: 很疼可能真的很疼，但几乎从不严重。

如果它蜇人

刮掉蜜蜂的蜇针，冷敷患处。
如果这个人呼吸困难、脸或喉咙肿胀，或感觉要晕倒，这是过敏急症：拨打急救电话，如果他们有肾上腺素笔就使用。

一定先拨打你的急救电话（112、000、911）。这里是一般急救指导，不是医疗建议。急救基础

注意安全

永远不要摸、抓或逗弄野生动物，即使是很小的，即使它看起来在睡觉或已经死了。
给它留出空间。如果遇到它，保持冷静，慢慢后退，让它走自己的路。
如果被它蜇了：保持冷静，保持不动，拨打你的急救电话（112、000、911）或尽快去医院。记住它长什么样，拍张照片会有帮助。

它不是冲着你来的。它用毒液捕猎或保护自己，而且它更愿意躲起来。更多安全知识

在世界哪里？

非洲亚洲欧洲北美洲南美洲澳大利亚和大洋洲

它有多大？

它有多长？

小到能坐在你的指甲上19 秒就能飞过一整个足球场

Mexican honey wasp和你比起来有多大？

只是在你的浏览器里算一算。什么都不会被保存或发送到任何地方。

它有多快？

一只家蝇 约 7 公里/小时 (4.4 mph)

Mexican honey wasp 约 20 公里/小时 (12 mph)

一个全力冲刺的人 约 37 公里/小时 (23 mph)

值得了解

事实

It is one of only a few insects besides bees that make and store their own honey.1

A single nest can house anywhere from 3,500 to 18,700 wasps.1

In Los Reyes Metzontla, Mexico, the Popoloca people eat its honey and larvae, harvesting them when the moon is between its last quarter and waning gibbous.1

It helps pollinate avocados, carrying avocado pollen on its hairy head, thorax and legs.1

Scientists have studied it as a natural control for Diaphorina citri, a pest that spreads citrus greening disease.1