| Polistes flavus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Vespidae |
| Subfamily: | Polistinae |
| Genus: | Polistes |
| Species: | P. flavus |
| Binomial name | |
| Polistes flavus Cresson, 1868 | |
Polistes flavus, also known as the yellow paper wasp, is a species of paper wasp in the family Vespidae. [1] [2] [3] [4]
The Vespidae are a large, diverse, cosmopolitan family of wasps, including nearly all the known eusocial wasps and many solitary wasps. Each social wasp colony includes a queen and a number of female workers with varying degrees of sterility relative to the queen. In temperate social species, colonies usually last only one year, dying at the onset of winter. New queens and males (drones) are produced towards the end of the summer, and after mating, the queens hibernate over winter in cracks or other sheltered locations. The nests of most species are constructed out of mud, but polistines and vespines use plant fibers, chewed to form a sort of paper. Many species are pollen vectors contributing to the pollination of several plants, being potential or even effective pollinators, while others are notable predators of pest insect species, and a few species are invasive pests.
Paper wasps are vespid wasps and typically refers to members of the vespid subfamily Polistinae, though it often colloquially includes members of the subfamilies Vespinae and Stenogastrinae, discussed elsewhere, which also make nests out of paper. Paper wasp nests are characterized by open combs with down pointing cells. Some types of paper wasps are also sometimes called umbrella wasps, due to the distinctive design of their nests.
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.
Chalcoela iphitalis, the sooty-winged chalcoela, is a moth species of the family Crambidae that occurs throughout North America. They are seen as far south as California, Arizona and South Carolina and as far north as Ontario. Adults can be seen from May to August. The head, body and front portion of the forewings are yellow-orange while the hindwing and back portion of the forewings are grey and silver. The back edge of the hindwing has black spots.
Euodynerus auranus is a species of stinging wasp in the family Vespidae.
Euodynerus crypticus is a species of stinging wasp in the family Vespidae.
Euodynerus megaera is a species of stinging wasp in the family Vespidae.
Euodynerus schwarzi is a nearctic species of potter wasp in the family Vespidae.
Leptochilus acolhuus is a species of stinging wasp in the family Vespidae.
Pachodynerus erynnis, known generally as the red-marked pachodynerus or red and black mason wasp, is a species of stinging wasp in the family Vespidae.
Parancistrocerus fulvipes also known by the common name potter wasp is a species of stinging wasp in the family Vespidae. This species' nesting sites include borings in wood, old mud dauber and Polistes nests, and abandoned burrows of ground-nesting bees, but it may also construct its own burrows in the ground. Prey includes caterpillars of Tortricidae, Nolidae, Chloephorinae, Crambidae, and Gelechiidae.
Polistes aurifer, the golden paper wasp, is a species of paper wasp in the genus Polistes of the family Vespidae. It occurs in the western part of North America, from southern Canada through the United States to northern Mexico.
Pseudomasaris coquilletti is a species of pollen wasp in the family Vespidae.
Pseudomasaris vespoides is a species of pollen wasp in the family Vespidae.
Vespula vidua, known generally as the long yellowjacket or widow yellowjacket, is a species of stinging wasp in the family Vespidae.
Zethus slossonae is a species of stinging wasp in the family Vespidae.
Zethus spinipes is a species of stinging wasp in the family Vespidae found in the eastern United States.
Polistes bahamensis is a large species of colourful paper wasp in the genus Polistes of the family Vespidae which occurs in the Bahamas, Florida and Louisiana. It is also said to occur in Georgia.
Polistes comanchus is a species of paper wasp from northwestern Mexico to the south central United States.
Polistes rubiginosus is one of two species of red paper wasp found in the eastern United States and is noted for the coarser ridges on its propodeum. It is a social wasp in the family Vespidae. Until taxonomic revision by Matthias Buck in 2012, P. rubiginosus was long known under the name P. perplexus. It occurs northernmost from Maryland, Pennsylvania to northern Ohio, south to Florida, and from there west to central Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Arizona.
Media related to Polistes flavus at Wikimedia Commons  | This Vespidae-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |