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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Vespoidea » Hornets, Yellowjackets; Paper, Potter, Mason, and Pollen Wasps; and Allies (Vespidae) » Paper Wasps (Polistinae) » Honey Wasps (Brachygastra) » Mexican Honey Wasp (Brachygastra mellifica)
Photo#1636064
Brachygastra mellifica at northern edge of range attacked by Polistes - Brachygastra mellifica
Copyright © 2019 dvoribird

Brachygastra mellifica at northern edge of range attacked by Polistes - Brachygastra mellifica
Round Rock, Williamson County, Texas, USA
December 22, 2018
(see notes on linked image)

Images of this individual: tag all
Brachygastra mellifica at northern edge of range attacked by Polistes - Brachygastra mellifica Brachygastra mellifica at northern edge of range attacked by Polistes - Brachygastra mellifica
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Contributed by dvoribird on 16 February, 2019 - 10:37am

possible misidentification
The dark antenna tips and size gap suggest to me that's a Polistes Dorsalis, Apachus, or other similar wasp preying. Exclamans have very vivid orange tipped antennae and are generally quite small for an umbrella type. They're larger than Mellifica, but the gap looks too great. Anecdotally, Exclamans seem tame for an umbrella type and I've never seen Exclamans prey on other wasps/bees, though I'm sure it happens once in a while.
… shartpants, 29 March, 2020 - 2:17pm login or register to post comments

 
Ah, thank you.
I get lots of Polistes in my backyard and I have not been able to distinguish them.
… dvoribird, 29 March, 2020 - 3:37pm login or register to post comments

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