Mischocyttarini
Guides
Mischocyttarus
Long-waisted Paper Wasps
Mischocyttarus is the largest genus of social wasps, containing over 260 species primarily distributed in the Neotropics. It is the sole member of the tribe Mischocyttarini, distinguished from related tribes by asymmetrical tarsal lobes. These wasps construct simple, single-comb paper nests and exhibit greater social and reproductive flexibility than the related genus Polistes. A few species extend into the Nearctic region, including three in the United States and southwest Canada.