Key points
- There is limited cross-reactivity between bumblebee and honey bee
venom.
- Polypia paulista: cross-reactivity is higher to Polistescompared to Vespula (80 versus 60% sequence identity).
- The venom of Vespa crabro (European hornet) and other
(sub)tropical hornet species including Vespa velutina is
largely identical to Vespula and Dolichovespula.
- There is substantial cross-reactivity between different fire ant
species and within Brachyponera spp. In contrast,
cross-reactivity within the genus Myrmecia is limited.
- Available data suggest that cross-reactivity between bees and wasps to
ants and between different ant species is modest or absent.
Diagnosis (see Table 1)