Aztec Honey Wasp
Scientific name: Brachygastra azteca
Insects
Venomous
Photo: (c) Erick Noe Tapia Banda, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)CC-BY-NC licenceSee the original photo
Venomous
Mild discomfort
Like other honey wasps it is calm while foraging at flowers, but it defends its nest in numbers; its barbed stinger can stay embedded in the skin like a bee's. The sting brings local pain and swelling that a cold compress relieves; leave the hanging nests alone and seek medical care only after many stings or any allergy symptoms.
Seen here
Somebody photographed it here and the identification passed community review.
69 verified records
Sightings whose identification was reviewed by the iNaturalist community.
When it is seen
Recorded year-round
Recorded at this time of year