Polistes exclamans
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Polistes exclamans, a very colorful paper wasp, lives mostly in southern climates from California to Florida.
Smaller colonies can occasionally be found as far north as Pennsylvania in the east and Nebraska in the Midwest.
Rusty red, yellow and dark bands on the abdomen help it stand out.
In some areas of South Texas, and examination of the leg colors and abdomen help differentiate it from another similar looking species, Polistes instabilis
In some areas of Florida, the black bands on the legs help differentiate it from Polistes bellicosus
© 2011 Patricia A. Michaels