When most people hear the word wasp, they imagine a yellow and black insect angrily flying around a picnic, looking for an opportunity to ruin someone's afternoon. Panama completely changes that picture. In a country covered in tropical forests, wetlands, mountains, farms and coastal ecosystems, wasps come in an astonishing variety of shapes, colours, sizes and lifestyles. Some live in enormous colonies containing hundreds or even thousands of individuals. Others live completely alone. Some build delicate paper nests under roofs and branches, while others dig tunnels into the soil. Some hunt spiders, caterpillars and other insects, while some never hunt at all. And many are so tiny that you could walk past thousands of them without ever noticing.
Panama is particularly interesting for wasp lovers because its tropical forests support an enormous diversity of Hymenoptera, the insect order that includes wasps, bees and ants. Scientific studies in Panama have documented numerous wasp families and an extraordinary number of species. A study in Darién National Park alone collected 2,715 spider wasps representing 25 genera and 92 species, including several species recorded in Panama for the first time. Another study of wasps in Panama City forest fragments found substantial diversity among braconid parasitoid wasps and showed that even relatively small remaining forest patches can support different wasp communities.
And that is only part of the story.
Paper Wasps: The Social Wasps You Are Most Likely to Notice
One of the most familiar groups in Panama is the paper wasps, particularly members of the subfamily Polistinae. These are the classic social wasps that construct nests from plant fibres mixed with saliva. Their nests can look like little grey paper umbrellas, combs or architectural sculptures hanging beneath roofs, branches, bridges and other sheltered locations.
Panama has been an important location for scientific research on these social wasps. On Barro Colorado Island, researchers have studied species including Polistes canadensis, Polistes versicolor, Mischocyttarus angulatus and Mischocyttarus basimacula.
Paper wasps are fascinating because their colonies operate almost like miniature societies. Different females interact, compete for reproductive opportunities, forage, defend the nest and care for developing young. Researchers studying Polistes canadensis in Panama have even documented complicated dominance relationships among females within colonies.
Their nests are also remarkable pieces of natural engineering. Instead of constructing a sealed structure, many paper wasps create exposed cells in which their larvae develop. The nest expands as the colony grows.
If you see a small open comb attached beneath a roof or branch in Panama, there is a reasonable chance you are looking at some type of paper wasp nest.
The Enormous Variety of Social Wasps
Paper wasps are not simply one type of insect. Panama has a remarkable variety of social wasps, and some colonies look completely different from others.
Some species construct relatively small open nests. Others create much larger enclosed structures. Some colonies can contain large numbers of individuals and become extremely active when disturbed.
One particularly interesting group is Mischocyttarus, a large and diverse genus of tropical paper wasps. Several species occur in Panama, and they can have long, slender bodies and surprisingly delicate appearances.
Then there are the epiponine wasps, a spectacular group of tropical social wasps that includes genera such as Polybia, Agelaia, Protopolybia, Synoeca and others. These are the wasps responsible for some of the strange, elaborate colonies that visitors encounter in tropical forests.
Their nests can look almost alien. Some resemble brown paper balls, some have elaborate outer coverings and others have structures that seem far too complicated to have been built by insects.
And the colonies can be extremely active.
A large tropical social wasp nest should not be treated like an interesting decoration that you poke with a stick.
Spider Wasps: The Tarantula Hunters
If Panama had a category for the most dramatic wasps, spider wasps would have to be near the top.
Members of the family Pompilidae specialize in hunting spiders. Some are small and inconspicuous, while others are large, powerful insects that patrol the forest floor searching for prey.
The famous tarantula hawks belong to this general group of spider hunting wasps. They are capable of tackling surprisingly large spiders, including tarantulas.
The hunting strategy is extraordinary. A female finds a spider, attacks and immobilizes it with her sting, and then uses the spider as food for her developing offspring. The spider is not necessarily killed immediately. Instead, the wasp can use its venom to paralyze the prey, essentially turning a living spider into a food package for its larva.
Panama's spider wasp diversity is enormous. The research from Darién National Park documented 92 species of Pompilidae across 25 genera, and researchers found specimens representing potentially new species within several genera.
That means the large black or blue wasp you see running across a trail might not be just "a wasp." It could belong to a highly specialized lineage of spider hunters.
The Famous Blue and Black Spider Wasps
Some tropical spider wasps are spectacularly coloured. Metallic blue, blue black, orange and reddish tones are not unusual.
Their colours can make them look almost like flying jewels when sunlight hits their bodies.
Some species spend much of their time running across the ground rather than casually buzzing around flowers. They are searching for spiders.
This is one of those moments when Panama's forests reveal something very different from the conventional idea of an insect. The wasp is not simply looking for nectar or bothering humans. It is participating in an extremely specialized predator prey relationship that has evolved over millions of years.
Mud Daubers: The Quiet Builders
Another group visitors may encounter are mud daubers.
These solitary wasps are generally much less interested in people than their reputation might suggest. Instead of establishing huge colonies, females often construct individual mud chambers.
A mud dauber may collect wet soil, carry it back to a sheltered location and construct a small architectural masterpiece one mouthful at a time.
The female then provisions chambers with prey, often spiders, before laying an egg. When the larva hatches, it has its own private pantry.
Some mud nests look like little tubes attached to walls, rocks, buildings or other structures. Others can become surprisingly elaborate collections of chambers.
The engineering is impressive considering that the entire structure is being constructed by an insect using material gathered from the surrounding environment.
Solitary Hunting Wasps
This is one of the most important things to understand about wasps in Panama: not every wasp has a colony.
Many species are solitary.
A solitary female does not have hundreds of workers protecting a queen. She is essentially doing everything herself. She finds food, chooses a nesting location, constructs the nest, captures prey, provisions the offspring and lays the eggs.
Different species specialize in different prey.
Some hunt caterpillars. Others hunt spiders. Some capture flies, grasshoppers or other insects.
The result is an enormous network of tiny predators operating throughout Panama's ecosystems.
You might never notice them, but they are constantly working.
Thread Waisted Wasps
Another fascinating group consists of the thread waisted wasps, many belonging to the family Sphecidae.
The name comes from their distinctive body shape. They often have a remarkably narrow connection between the thorax and abdomen, making them look almost as if they were designed by someone trying to exaggerate the classic wasp shape.
Species in this group can be solitary predators. Some excavate nests in soil, while others use cavities or construct structures.
The famous genus Sphex belongs here, and members of this group can be impressive hunters.
Panama's scientific records include numerous sphecid wasps, and researchers continue to document species diversity within these groups. A University of Panama study recorded several previously undocumented genera and species of Sphecidae, Crabronidae, Pompilidae and related groups from Panama.
Tiny Parasitoid Wasps: The Microscopic Assassins of the Forest
Now we get into the truly bizarre part of Panama's wasp world.
Some wasps are incredibly small and spend their lives attacking other insects.
These are parasitoid wasps.
Instead of building a nest and bringing caterpillars or spiders back to their young, a female parasitoid wasp may locate another insect and lay an egg on or inside it.
The developing wasp larva then feeds on its host.
It sounds gruesome, but ecologically it is incredibly important.
Panama's forests contain huge communities of parasitoid wasps, including braconid wasps. Research around Panama City documented diverse braconid communities in Metropolitan Natural Park, Albrook and Corozal, demonstrating that even forest fragments inside and around a major city can support surprisingly complicated parasitoid communities.
Many of these wasps are so small that visitors would never recognize them as wasps.
They may be only a few millimetres long.
Some look more like tiny flying ants or miniature flies than the stereotypical yellow and black wasp.
Gall Wasps: Wasps That Manipulate Plants
Then there are gall wasps, belonging to the family Cynipidae.
These are among the strangest wasps in Panama because they manipulate plants rather than simply hunting insects.
Certain gall wasps cause plants to produce abnormal growths called galls. The gall effectively becomes a specialized shelter and food source for the developing insect.
It is an extraordinary example of an insect influencing the biology of a plant.
Research specifically examining Panama's gall wasps found 65 different types of galls associated with cynipid wasps in mountain forests, with adult wasps obtained from 45 of them and classified into 10 genera.
So when you see a strange lump, ball or abnormal growth on a plant in Panama, it may not simply be a disease or random mutation. There could be a tiny wasp living inside.
Potter Wasps: Tiny Ceramic Architects
Potter wasps are another beautiful group.
As their name suggests, some construct small nests that resemble tiny clay pots. The female creates the structure from mud, places prey inside and lays an egg before sealing the chamber.
The result can look almost like miniature pottery attached to a wall or tree.
Potter wasps belong to the Eumeninae, a subfamily of Vespidae. They are generally solitary rather than living in enormous colonies like some social wasps.
They also demonstrate one of the recurring themes of Panama's insect world: architecture is everywhere.
Ants build cities.
Termites build towers.
Bees build combs.
And wasps build everything from paper umbrellas to mud pots.
Wasps That Look Like Ants
Panama also has some particularly strange wasps that can fool the eye.
Certain wasps have evolved body shapes and colours that resemble ants. Others resemble different insects altogether.
This can provide protection because predators may hesitate before attacking something that looks dangerous, unpleasant or difficult to handle.
In the tropical forest, appearances are often deceptive.
Something that looks like an ant might be a wasp.
Something that looks like a fly might be a wasp.
And something that looks like a tiny piece of debris might actually be a highly specialized insect waiting for its next meal.
Wasps Are Not All Aggressive
The reputation of wasps sometimes makes people assume that every wasp they encounter is looking for an opportunity to sting them.
That is not the reality.
A huge number of Panama's wasps are solitary and have absolutely no reason to defend a giant colony. Their main priorities are finding food, finding mates and reproducing.
Even social wasps generally have a very different relationship with humans when their nest is left alone compared with when it is disturbed.
This distinction is important when walking through tropical forest.
A wasp flying past you is not automatically a problem.
A wasp repeatedly flying around one particular location may be worth investigating from a distance.
And a large nest full of social wasps is something you simply leave alone.
Why Panama Needs So Many Wasps
The sheer diversity of wasps is not accidental.
Panama sits between North and South America and contains an extraordinary mixture of ecosystems. Tropical lowland forests, cloud forests, mountains, wetlands, agricultural landscapes, mangroves and fragmented urban forests all create different ecological opportunities.
Wasps occupy many of those niches.
Some are predators.
Some are parasitoids.
Some pollinate plants while feeding on nectar.
Some recycle biological material indirectly.
Some regulate populations of caterpillars and other insects.
Some specialize in spiders.
Some manipulate plants.
And some spend their entire lives interacting with a single type of host.
This makes wasps an important part of the ecological machinery of Panama.
The Wasps You Notice Versus the Wasps You Don't
The funny thing about walking through a Panamanian jungle is that the wasps you notice are probably only a tiny fraction of the wasps actually around you.
You notice the large metallic blue spider wasp crossing the trail.
You notice the paper wasp nest hanging under a roof.
You notice the enormous social wasp colony high in a tree.
But hidden in the vegetation are countless tiny parasitoid species, solitary hunting wasps, gall wasps and other specialized insects.
Researchers are still documenting Panama's diversity. The University of Panama has published records of numerous wasp genera and species that were previously unrecorded in the country, while studies in places such as Darién continue to reveal remarkable diversity.
In other words, the list of Panama's wasps is not really a finished list.
It is more like a work in progress.
A Jungle Full of Tiny Predators
Perhaps the best way to think about Panama's wasps is not as one group of annoying stinging insects, but as an entire collection of lifestyles.
There are paper architects, tarantula hunters, mud builders, caterpillar assassins, plant manipulators, parasitoids, social colonies, solitary mothers and tiny species that spend their lives searching for hosts almost invisible to us.
Some are spectacularly colourful. Others are almost completely black. Some are enormous. Others are barely visible. Some construct elaborate nests while others simply use a hole in the ground or a natural cavity.
And in a country like Panama, where rainforest can begin only a few steps beyond a road or building, you can encounter this incredible diversity almost anywhere.
The next time a wasp flies past you in Panama, it is worth remembering that you may not be looking at a wasp.
You may be looking at one tiny representative of an enormous tropical world that scientists are still discovering.