- published: 21 Jan 2010
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The Vespidae are a large (nearly 5000 species), diverse, cosmopolitan family of wasps, including nearly all the known eusocial wasps (such as Polistes fuscatus, Polistes annularis, and Vespula germanica) 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 only last 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 (also true of some stenogastrines). 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.
The subfamilies Polistinae and Vespinae are composed solely of eusocial species, while Eumeninae, Euparagiinae, and Masarinae are all solitary; the Stenogastrinae subfamily contains a variety of forms from solitary to social.
Hornet (Vespidae)
Wasp apoica pallens, Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae,
Bald-faced Hornet (Vespidae: Dolichovespula maculata) Queen, Close-up
10ปี Vespidae Pattaya/หาดกระทิงลายพัทยา 28มีนาคม2558-by Four'S
Polistes sp. (Vespidae)
German Yellowjacket (Vespidae: Vespula germanica) Grooming
Northern Paper Wasp (Vespidae: Polistes fuscatus) Female on Comb
Hymenoptera Vespidae Polistes erythrocephala ( Latreille, 1813)
Vespidae
Hymenoptera Vespidae Agelaia
Hornet (Vespidae) * Family: Vespidae, * Superfamily: Vespoidea, * Class: Insecta, * Order: Hymenoptera, * Suborder: Apocrita, * Type: Bug, * Diet: Omnivore, * Average life span in the wild: Several months (the queen lives through winter), * Size: 1.25 in (3.2 cm), * Group name: Grist or hive. ** These insects eat some tree sap but they are also accomplished predators. A hornet hive will eliminate many flies, bees, and other insects. More info: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/hornet/ or http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/enlarge/hornet_image.html or http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/printable/hornet.html or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespidae
Wasp apoica pallens, Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae, social wasps, poisonous insects, dangerous, hornet's nest, Brazilian fauna, Mato Grosso do Sul,
Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (16 May 2012). Thank you to 'Vespula vulgaris' (@BugGuide.net) for confirming the identity of this specimen!
10ปี Vespidae Pattaya/หาดกระทิงลายพัทยา 28มีนาคม2558-by Four'S
This non-native species, which is becoming quite noticable this time of the summer, is the most common yellowjacket species in our residential area. Photographed at Grand Forks, North Dakota (27 July 2011).
Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (25 June 2011). Thank you to 'Vespula vulgaris' (@Bugguide.net) for confirming the identity of this specimen!