Agelaia vicina

Agelaia vicina is a species of wasp in the genus Agelaia. They are neotropical social wasps known to have the largest colony sizes and nest sizes among social wasps, with some colonies exceeding over one million individuals. They are predators of land arthropods, consuming both insects and spiders alike. Recent sperm morphology studies have shown that although Vespidae belong to the superfamily Vespoidea, Agelaia vicina may be more phylogenetically related to Apoidea. A. vicina is a eusocial, swarming member of the subfamily Polistinae, within the tribe Epiponini. The genus Agelaia, includes nine species: A. flavipennis, A. areata, A. angulicollis, A. cajennensis, A. fulvofasciata, A. myrmecophila, A. pallipes, A. yepocapa and A. panamaensis. By analyzing the ultrastructure of A. vicina sperm and comparing it to samples from other species within its superfamily, Vespidae, it has been found that A. vicina may be more closely linked to Apoidea than to Vespidae phylogenetically. Queens of the species are characterized by smaller heads and larger abdomens relative to workers. A. vicina are known to create outstandingly large nests. The combs themselves are generally horizontal and fairly even, neither convex nor concave. The cells face downward and comb layers are vertically connected by petioles. The bottom combs resemble stratified layers while the top combs expand concentrically to form a singular huge comb. When there are spatial limitations the top most layer stops concentrically expanding, leaving the final shape of the nest to be ellipsoid. The brood is always concentrated near the center of the nest, while peripheral cells are left empty as a means of enveloping the structure. The nests are built out of foraged plant fibers. A. vicina are nest-dwelling species. Colonies may build their nests in sheltered, half-exposed, or fully exposed areas. Their distribution is essentially limited to the neotropical region. The species is common relative to its genus due to the characteristic rapid growth of its colonies. A. vicina is found in Southern Brazil and their nests have been studied in the cities of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais.