Synoeca cyanea
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Synoeca cyanea, commonly known as the marimbondo-tatu in Brazil, is a swarm-founding eusocial wasp. Native to Brazil and Argentina, S. cyanea is one of the largest and most aggressive species of social wasps and is feared in many rural areas. It begins its colony cycle in the early spring and continues until nest abandonment. Throughout its life, S. cyanea forage sugary substances and animal carcasses for food and wood pulp for its nest. S. cyanea is also known for its strong venom, which is enough to cause haemolytic activity.
Johan Christian Fabricius, a Danish zoologist, classified S. cyanea in 1775. The genus Synoeca is a part of the paper wasp tribe Epiponini and consists of five species (S. chalibea, S. virginea, S. septentrionalis, S. surinama, and S. cyanea). Synoeca is a basal genus in the tribe. Cyanea, the adjective describing the species, translates to “dark blue,” referring to the metallic blue patches on the exterior of S. cyanea.
S. cyanea is black with metallic blue patches on its body. In addition, S. cyanea has a red clypeus. While other species in the genus Synoeca do not demonstrate caste differences... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Iguaçu National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Campinas | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | São Paulo | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Rio de Janeiro | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Synoeca cyanea sighting in Rio de Janeiro on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 136th most-seen of the 169 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June, August–October and December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Synoeca cyanea in Rio de Janeiro on a given day, against under 5% in January–May, July and November, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Synoeca cyanea sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 3
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Synoeca cyanea sightings, Rio de Janeiro ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Campinas (Brazil, about 10%) and São Paulo (Brazil, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Synoeca cyanea is recorded against all the insects logged in Rio de Janeiro (5 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
