Mischocyttarus mexicanus is a New World species of paper wasp that exhibits facultative eusocial behavior and includes at least two subspecies living in the southern United States and Central America. This social wasp species is a good model for studying the selective advantage of different nesting tactics within a single species. M. mexicanus females can form nests both as individuals and as members of a colony, and are even known to switch between these two nesting strategies throughout their life, which is an unusual phenomenon in the field of social biology.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it venomous or poisonous?
Considered venomous. Public sources list it as such; we have not verified this individually. The note covers its whole family. Wasps and hornets; stings Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Mischocyttarus phthisicus — considered venomous
- Polistes cubensis — considered venomous
- Polistes crinitus — considered venomous
- Polistes lineonotus — considered venomous
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera
- Family
- Vespidae
- Genus
- Mischocyttarus
- Species
- Mischocyttarus mexicanus
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