# Mexican Honey Wasps



## harlekin (Dec 22, 2020)

Awesome. I have a bit of a fascination with the honey wasp. Even among knowledgeable beekeepers most people don't realize that there are any honey producing vespids. (I hear it mentioned occasionally from reputable sources that only bees produce honey)

I'm actually considering starting a collection of native pollinators (pinned specimens) as part of wanting to pursue becoming a Texas Master Beekeeper. If you happen across some more of them and can dunk one in alcohol (rubbing alcohol is probably best) I'd love to get my hands on one.


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## Beeves4u (Dec 4, 2021)

harlekin... I'll see if I can collect one for you, I see them often in chaste trees when in bloom. I have been told that unlike most wasps a mexican honey wasp has a barbed stinger and will die after stinging like a honeybee.


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## harlekin (Dec 22, 2020)

That's quite interesting. I did a bit of searching and apparently they (and yellowjackets) have barbs, but they are smaller than that of a honey bee and can often pull their stingers back out.

Being originally from the Rio Grande Valley I find it pretty cool that these wasps are a major predator to the asian citrus psyllid that spreads citrus greening disease and is wiping out the Texas citrus industry.


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## Beeves4u (Dec 4, 2021)

I read that in florida the state was giving a small wasp (tamarixia radiata) from India or Pakistan to the commercial growers of citrus because they prey on the asian citrus psyllid. Maybe they should have looked closer to home.


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## Beeves4u (Dec 4, 2021)

I don't know how to put the link on here but if you go to YOUTUBE and search for STUNG BY A MEXICAN HONEY WASP...start at 3 minutes. This fella makes the wasp sting him and it leaves it's stinger.


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