Brachygastra mellifica
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
Brachygastra mellifica, commonly known as the Mexican honey wasp, is a neotropical social wasp. It can be found in North America. B. mellifica is one of few wasp species that produces honey. It is also considered a delicacy in some cultures in Mexico. This wasp species is of use to humans because it can be used to control pest species and to pollinate avocados.
The genus name Brachygastra comes from Ancient Greek βραχύς (brakhús), meaning "short", and γαστήρ (gastḗr), meaning "belly". The specific epithet mellifica means "to make honey" in Latin. The species that comprise the genus Brachygastra are neotropical social wasps. They can be found from southern United States to Northern Argentina and include a total of 16 species. B. mellifica is the only species present in the US, found in both Arizona and Texas. B. mellifica ranges from Texas to Panama. This genus is known for its easily recognizable abdomen, which can be almost as wide as it is long, and its very high scutellum that often projects over the metanotum. B. mellifica is very similar in morphology to B. lecheguana but differs in its geographic distribution. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | San Luis Potosí | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 5 | Monterrey | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 6 | Puebla | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 7 | Guadalajara | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 8 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Mexican Honey Wasp sighting in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 15 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 49th most-seen of the 112 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April and December
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Mexican Honey Wasp in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in March, May–July and September–November, the lowest months. Those are among Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve's driest months, with about 30 mm of rain a month against 150 mm in June.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Mexican Honey Wasp sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Mexican Honey Wasp sightings, Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve ranks 2nd at about 20%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Cabo Pulmo National Park (Mexico, about 20%).
Same order: Hymenoptera
The closest relatives of the Mexican Honey Wasp that you can see in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (order Hymenoptera, Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies) are Mexican Pitted-Stingless Bee (about 20%), Ectatomma tuberculatum (about 20%) and Toltec Scoliid Wasp (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Mexican Honey Wasp is recorded against all the insects logged in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (15 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
