Haplometrosis
Guides
Liometopum apiculatum
Escamolera Ant, Velvet Tree Ant
Liometopum apiculatum is a Neotropical dolichoderine ant with significant ecological and economic importance. Colonies are large and polydomous, ranging from a few hundred to hundreds of thousands of workers. The species is notable for its distinctive carton-like nest construction and its role as a traditional food source in Mexico, where the larvae and pupae (escamoles) are harvested. It inhabits diverse arid and semi-arid vegetation types across southwestern North America.
Mischocyttarus mexicanus
Mexican Paper Wasp
Mischocyttarus mexicanus is a New World paper wasp exhibiting facultative eusocial behavior, where females can nest either solitarily or in groups and may switch between these strategies throughout life. The species includes at least two subspecies: M. m. mexicanus ranging from Mexico to Costa Rica, and M. m. cubicola distributed across the southeastern United States and Caribbean. Nests are constructed from paper fibers and attached to vegetation, particularly palm fronds. The species serves as an important model for studying the evolutionary advantages of flexible social organization in insects.