Agelaia multipicta is a swarm-founding, highly eusocial wasp that lives in Mexico, Argentina, Trinidad and southern Brazil.

[5] James Carpenter's taxonomic key describes characteristic features of this species such as that the "hind-wing with jugal lobe normal, not reduced," and that the head has an occipital carina present.

[6] Additionally, in A. multipicta Carpenter notes the "pronotum without sinuous carina" and the "body without pale maculations, cuticle partly to entirely bluish metallic or yellowish with some bluish highlights; head in lateral view with tempera as wide or wider than eye at ocular sinus"[6] The queen and worker castes differ significantly in appearance and ovarian development, reflecting their distinct biological functions.

In a study regarding forest fragmentation there were no strong tendency in A. multipicta habitation regarding habitat type, this is probably due to their generalist nature.

[7] Like other wasps in the Epiponini tribe, A. multipicta builds an exposed, single-comb nest, attached with a broad pedicel to its substrate.

The variety of nest architecture and location observed in A. multipicta is thought to reflect their adaptability to the variations in cavity-like spaces present in the natural environment.

Individuals of A. multipicta display aggression towards some, but not all conspecifics encountered on a food source, possibly indicating the ability to recognize nestmates.

Swarm founding wasps, including A. multipicta, evolved a different defense strategy against ants from species with independent founders, which use chemical repellents.

Cyclical oligogyny may be influencing the relatedness of A. multipicta queens, but this requires species specific scientific investigation.

[11] Despite their ability to sting, wasp nests in the Neotropics are attacked by a variety of species including birds, bats, and capuchin monkeys.

[12] A. multipicta and other wasps play an important role in the decomposition process, making holes and abrasions in carrion that allow other species access to further eat away the dead.