Bug FAQProtonectarina sylveirae
Protonectarina sylveirae · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Vespidae
Source: Wikipedia
These wasps build papery nests in trees from mashed plant material. They hunt animal prey, especially insects that damage coffee crops, helping keep those pests low. Colonies are large and started by swarms that include several queens.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Queens have lighter bodies and a wide, brown-spotted face, while workers show a black horseshoe mark on the face.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Queens are usually bigger than workers, but size can vary so much that a queen may be the same size as its workers.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
Stings cause painful inflammation at the bite site, and 0.8-5 % of people may experience a systemic allergic reaction that can be life-threatening.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Organophosphate insecticides are highly toxic to these wasps and also impair their behavior, feeding, and learning.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Nests are suspended from tree twigs and are made of a papery substance formed from mashed cellulose and water.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
They feed mainly on animal protein, hunting insects that are pests of coffee plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Colonies are large and require specialized roles, and new colonies are founded by swarms that contain multiple queens.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
This species is native to South America, ranging from Brazil down to Argentina.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
What should I do if I get stung by Protonectarina sylveirae?
Treat the sting like any wasp sting: clean the area, apply a cold pack to reduce swelling, and watch for signs of an allergic reaction such as hives, breathing difficulty, or swelling beyond the sting site.
Source: Wikipedia
Do these wasps damage coffee crops?
No, they actually help protect coffee crops by hunting and reducing populations of coffee-crop pests.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I control a nest near my house?
Because organophosphate insecticides are extremely toxic to these wasps and disrupt many of their behaviors, professional pest control should handle removal safely.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Vespidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protonectarina
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.