Polybia is a genus of eusocial wasps ranging from Central to South America (Mexico to Brazil, Argentina). Some produce enough honey to be collected and eaten by local people.

Species

There are 59 extant species of Polybia divided into 11 subgenera.

Polybia (Alpha) de Saussure, 1854

  • Polybia bifasciata Saussure, 1854
  • Polybia signata Ducke, 1910
  • Polybia quadricincta Saussure, 1854

Polybia (Apopolybia) Richards, 1978

  • Polybia jurinei Saussure, 1854
  • Polybia simillima Smith, 1862

Polybia (Cylindroeca) Richards, 1978

Polybia (Formicicola) Richards, 1978

Polybia (Furnariana) Richards, 1978

  • Polybia furnaria Ihering, 1904
  • Polybia richardsi Cooper, 1993

Polybia (Myrapetra) White, 1841

  • Polybia aequatorialis Zavattari, 1906
  • Polybia barbouri Bequard, 1943
  • Polybia belemensis Richards, 1970
  • Polybia bicyttarella Richards, 1951
  • Polybia bistriata (Fabricius, 1804)
  • Polybia catillifex Moebius, 1856
  • Polybia dimorpha Richards, 1978
  • Polybia divisoria Richards, 1978
  • Polybia erythrothorax Richards, 1978
  • Polybia fastidiosuscula Saussure, 1854
  • Polybia ficaria Richards, 1978
  • Polybia flavifrons Smith, 1857
  • Polybia juruana Ihering, 1904
  • Polybia nidulatrix Bequard, 1933
  • Polybia occidentalis (Olivier, 1791)
  • Polybia parvulina Richards, 1970
  • Polybia paulista Ihering, 1896
  • Polybia platycephala Richards, 1951
  • Polybia plebeja Saussure, 1867
  • Polybia roraimae Raw, 2000
  • Polybia ruficeps Schrottky, 1902
  • Polybia scrobalis Richards, 1970
  • Polybia scutellaris (White, 1841)
  • Polybia selvana Carpenter, 2002

Polybia (Pedothoeca) Richards, 1978

Polybia (Platypolybia) Richards, 1978

  • Polybia incerta Ducke, 1907
  • Polybia procellosa Zavattari, 1906

Polybia (Polybia) Lepeletier, 1836

  • Polybia liliacea (Fabricius, 1804)
  • Polybia striata (Fabricius, 1787)

Polybia (Synoecoides) Ducke, 1905

  • Polybia depressa (Ducke, 1905)

Polybia (Trichinothorax) Carpenter & Day, 1988

  • Polybia affinis Buysson, 1908
  • Polybia batesi Richards, 1978
  • Polybia chrysothorax (Lichtenstein)
  • Polybia eberhardae Cooper, 1993
  • Polybia flavitincta Fox, 1898
  • Polybia gorytoides Fox, 1898
  • Polybia ignobilis (Haliday, 1836)
  • Polybia lugubris Saussure, 1854
  • Polybia micans Ducke, 1904
  • Polybia minarum Ducke, 1906
  • Polybia nigrina Richards, 1978
  • Polybia punctata Buysson, 1908
  • Polybia raui Bequard, 1933
  • Polybia rufitarsis Ducke, 1904
  • Polybia sericea (Olivier, 1792)
  • Polybia tinctipennis Fox, 1898
  • Polybia velutina Ducke, 1907
  • Polybia (Apopolybia) jurinei
  • Polybia (Formicicola) rejecta
  • Polybia (Myrapetra) paulista nest
  • Polybia (Myrapetra) plebeja
  • Polybia (Myrapetra) ruficeps ruficeps
  • Polybia (Myrapetra) scutellaris nest in the State of Paraná, Brazil
  • Polybia (Pedothoeca) emaciata
  • Polybia (Trichinothorax) affinis
  • Polybia (Trichinothorax) flavitincta
  • Polybia (Trichinothorax) ignobilis
  • Polybia (Trichinothorax) selvana
  • Polybia (Trichinothorax) sericea

Fossil species

  • Polybia anglica Cockerell, 1921
  • Polybia oblita Cockerell, 1921