Polistes is a cosmopolitan genus of paper wasps and the only genus in the tribe Polistini. Vernacular names for the genus include umbrella wasps, coined by Walter Ebeling in 1975 to distinguish it from other types of paper wasp, in reference to the form of their nests, and umbrella paper wasps. Polistes is the single largest genus within the family Vespidae, with over 200 recognized species. Their innate preferences for nest-building sites leads them to commonly build nests on human habitation, where they can be very unwelcome; although generally not aggressive, they can be provoked into defending their nests. All species are predatory, and they may consume large numbers of caterpillars, in which respect they are generally considered beneficial.
Eumenes is the type genus of the subfamily Eumeninae of Vespidae. It is a large and widespread genus, with over 100 taxa, mostly occurring in the temperate portions of the Northern Hemisphere. Most species are black or brown, and commonly marked with strikingly contrasting patterns of yellow, white, orange, or red. Like most vespids, their wings are folded longitudinally at rest. The first metasomal segment is narrow and elongated, creating a "bulbous" appearance to the abdomen.
Leptochilus is a large, mostly Holarctic genus of small sized potter wasps. The genus reaches its largest diversity in the Palearctic where there are more than 135 species belonging to 5 subgenera. However the division of The division of Leptochilus into subgenera can not be fully supported and the status of some of them is dubious.
Anterhynchium is an Afrotropical, Indomalayan, Australian and Palearctic genus of potter wasps. As in many species of wasp, female wasps defend against predation using a modified ovipositor to sting predators. Like some other wasps in the Vespidae family, male wasps can produce a "pseudo-sting" with two sharp spines on either side of their genitals; however, unlike in the females, this "sting" is venomless.
Synagris is an Afrotropical genus of large potter wasps. Several Synagris wasps are strongly sexually dimorphic and males bear notable morphological secondary sexual traits including metasomal lamellar or angular protruding structures and hornlike or tusklike mandibular and/or clypeal projections.
Delta is an Old World genus of potter wasps with species predominantly distributed through tropical Africa and Asia. Some species are present in the Palearctic region, and a few have been introduced in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. The members of this genus have a long metasomal petiole, like members of the genera Eumenes and Zeta.
Cyrtolabulus is an African, Indomalayan and Palearctic genus of potter wasps. It contains the following species:
Ropalidia is a large genus of eusocial paper wasps (Polistinae) in the tribe Ropalidiini distributed throughout the Afrotropical, Indomalayan and Australasian biogeographical regions. The genus Ropalidia is unusual because it contains both independent and swarm-founding species. Ropalidia romandi is one of the swarm founding species, meaning that new nests are founded by a large group of workers with a smaller number of inseminated females, while Ropalidia revolutionalis is independent-founding, meaning that each nest is founded by a single foundress.
Knemodynerus is a genus of potter wasps distributed through the Palearctic, Afrotropical, Indomalayan and Australasian regions. The species currently classified in the genus are:
Rhynchium is an Australian, Afrotropical, Indomalayan and Palearctic genus of potter wasps.
Polybia is a genus of eusocial wasps ranging from Central to South America. Some produce enough honey to be collected and eaten by local people.
Eumenidiopsis is an afrotropical genus of Afrotropical potter wasps with eight known species, which are set out below:
Eustenancistrocerus is an Afrotropical, Palearctic and Oriental genus of potter wasps. The species in this genus include:
Pareumenes is an Afrotropical, Palearctic and Oriental genus of potter wasps.
Belonogaster juncea is a typical quasisocial paper wasp from sub-saharan Africa and south-western Asia. It is the type species for the genus Belonogaster.
Pseudalastor is an Australian genus of potter wasps.
Pseudepipona is a genus of potter wasps found in the Palearctic, Nearctic, Afrotropical and Australian regions.
Pseudonortonia is a fairly large genus of potter wasps with a rich Afrotropical fauna, as well as with several species which occur throughout the Palearctic and Indomalayan regions.
Labus is an Indomalayan genus of potter wasps. It contains the following species:
