Agelaia
| Agelaia | |
|---|---|
| Agelaia angulata | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Vespidae |
| Subfamily: | Polistinae |
| Tribe: | Epiponini |
| Genus: | Agelaia Lepeletier, 1836 |
| Type species | |
| Agelaia testacea (Fabricius, 1804) | |
| Species | |
|
33 species | |
Agelaia is a genus of Neotropical social wasps (family Vespidae), with species from Mexico to northern Argentina. 17 of the 33 described species are found in Brazil. These species are swarm founders that nest in cavities. The nest generally is without an envelope, with that of A. areata a notable exception for having a complete envelope.
The main component of the venom is agelotoxin, a phospholipase A2 direct haemolysin.