Paper Wasps (Polistes)
Polistes, or paper wasps, can be found worldwide, and they are considered the most populous and recognizable wasp genera.
Although some species share similar body colors and markings, their thin bodies and dark wings normally make for easy genera identification. Where available, the umbrella shaped nests with open cells, like that pictured above, provides another identification clue.
Their appetite for caterpillars and other garden pests often translates into their being welcome guests in many back yards, with some limits. Paper wasps are stinging insects that defend their nests, a habit that can tend to wear out the welcome mat in many households.
All paper wasp stings are different, and recent research suggests that the stings of European paper wasps may produces more severe allergic reactions than their North American counterparts (see generally Polistes Venom).
The standard version of Polistes posits them as semi-eusocial insects, whose nests are built on a annual basis and tended by a queen and workers.
Despite the presence of a good deal of research on Polistes behavior, extensive population research of all native polistes species is lacking. Approximately twenty different species, most regionally established, live in the United States. Half of them are presented here.
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.
A quick yard check during the warmer moths of the year provides a good opportunity for identifying polistes in your area.
© 2007-2009 Patricia A. Michaels