Paper Wasps (Polistes)
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With few exceptions, Vespids are social wasps that live and breed in colonies made of paper nests. A few mud building wasps and solitary wasps are also classified as vespids.
Because they are found world-wild, often in residential settings, Polistes are the most recognizable genus of paper wasps.
Their appetite for caterpillars and other garden pests make them welcome guests in many back yards as beneficial insects.
As the top picture shows, their nests are umbrella looking structures with visible cells.
The thin bodies and dark wings on the two listed species serve as common group identification marks.
The European paper wasp in the top picture is an invasive species in the United States.
Its traditional range extends across the temperate regions of Southern Europe eastward to China. It was introduced on the East Coast in 1981, and has since spread across the United States.
Extensive research on native polistes spcies is lacking, however, there are estimates of around twenty different species.
Most polistes are regional wasps. The comanchus navajoe in the second picture, for example, is found in New Mexico and Arizona.
A quick yard check during the warmer moths of the year provides a good opportunity for identifying polistes in your area.
© 2007-2008 Patricia A. Michaels