polistes humilis is a species of wasp in the vespidae family that is found throughout australia and which has been introduced to northern new zealand .

also known as the common paper wasp , this species can be identified by their long thin legs and banded yellow and black coloring .

interestingly , this species has been known to re-utilize old nests .

while the species does not exhibit morphological class differences , there are distinct behavioral differences between queens and workers .

in addition , the species is eusocial and benefits from relatedness between individuals .

this species of wasp is known for delivering a painful sting , especially when their nest is disturbed , a behavior that has been developed as a nest defense mechanism .

while wasps are often viewed negatively , they play an important pollination role for many plants .

polistes humilis

polistes humilis <EOT> in " polistes humilis " there are distinct benefits to having larger nest sizes .

" polistes humilis " is probably most known to humans by its painful sting .

as a stinging wasp , " polistes humilis " has a very powerful defense mechanism .

polistes humilis are a native wasp species , but other paper wasp species are introduced .

throughout the year , production of " polistes humilis " nests typically follow a distinctive cycle .

how can i put and write and define polistes humilis in a sentence and how is the word polistes humilis used in a sentence and examples ? 用polistes humilis造句 , 用polistes humilis造句 , 用polistes humilis造句 , polistes humilis meaning , definition , pronunciation , synonyms and example sentences are provided by ichacha . net .

polistes humilis and nest . image by donald hobern - some rights reserved . ( view image details )

" polistes humilis " are observed to subsist on food brought back to the nest by worker wasps .

while " polistes humilis " is very common now , competition for food could reduce its population in the future .

" polistes humilis " also has developed two defenses against disease : genetic diversity and the production of cuticular antimicrobial compounds .

two polistes humilis , eggs and nest structure . image by donald hobern - some rights reserved . ( view image details )

polistes humilis " nests are often found in " modified habitats " where there is a mix of human structures and vegetation .

in southern australia , " polistes humilis " appears to specialize in consuming lepidopteran larvae for protein as well as small spiders . " polistes humilis " has to compete with other species for food , particularly the newly introduced , invasive species " vespula germanica " .

as each queen selfishly wants to have as many offspring as possible , it is likely that oophagy occurs in " polistes humilis " .

" " ' polistes humilis " " ' is a species of the vespidae family that can be found throughout australia and new zealand .

assessment of prey overlap between a native ( polistes humilis ) and an introduced ( vespula germanica ) social wasp using morphology and phylogenetic analyses of 16s rdna .

for example , in the species " polistes humilis " the queen displays a " tail - wagging " behavior to assert her dominance over the worker class .

assessment of prey overlap between a native ( polistes humilis ) and an introduced ( vespula germanica ) social wasp using morphology and phylogenetic . . . - pubmed - ncbi

nesting biology of asian paper wasps polistes chinensis antennalis perez , and australian paper wasps p . humilis ( fab . ) ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) in northern new zealand

distribution and abundance of the asian paper wasp polistes chinensis antennalis pérez and the australian paper wasp p . humilis ( fab . ) ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) in new zealand

all mainland australian states . < em > polistes humilis < / em > introduced to south - west wa and new zealand . < em > polistes stigma < / em > widespread from india through se asia to new guinea and sw pacific .

" nesting biology of asian paper wasps polistes chinensis antennalis pérez , and australian paper wasps p . humilis ( fab . ) ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) in northern new zealand "

in new zealand , we have two species of exotic paper wasps , polistes humilis which is native to australia and polistes chinensis antennalis which is native to asia . both species have been in new zealand for several decades and are now widespread but limited by climatic conditions .

ito , y . 1986 . spring behaviour of an australian paper wasp , polistes humilis synoecus : colony founding by haplometrosis and utilization of old nests . kontyu 54 : 191 - 202 .

distribution and abundance of the asian paper wasp polistes chinensis antennalis pérez and the australian paper wasp p . humilis ( fab . ) ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) in new zealand | request pdf

since antimicrobial compounds in " polistes humilis " are found in the species ' venom and only females produce the sting venom , larger colonies with more males might have lower effectiveness of this mechanism .

the polistes ( polistella ) humilis synoecus saussure , 1853 is permitted - s11 for the whole of state and is not assigned to any control category for a local government area at this time .

there are more than 12 , 000 species of native wasps in australia , but the one that is most likely to be encountered around the melbourne suburbs – and most likely to become a pest – is the common paper wasp ( polistes humilis ) . there are 11 species of polistes found in australia , of which p . humilis is the most common . two subspecies have been identified : p . humilis humilis occurs in southern queensland , new south wales , victoria , south australia and new zealand , where it was accidentally introduced in the 1880s , while p . humilis synoecus is found in northern new south wales , queensland , the northern territory and western australia , where it was also an accidental introduction in about 1950 .

substrata categories used for nesting by polistes versicolor in an antropic environment in southeast brazil .

polistes chinensis antennalis ( asian paper wasp ) - general view of nest with adults present .

southern australia , polistes humillis may also be beneficial to agriculture , and in the home garden .

polistes chinensis antennalis ( asian paper wasp ) - close - up of an adult on nest .

p . humilis humilis - female wing length 10 - 15mm ; propodeum usually black , rarely with yellow stripes ; gaster unbanded , rarely with more than 1 yellow band ( occurs in s . qld rare ; nsw , vic , sa , new zealand )

colony productivity of the polistes sp . ( latreille ) in neotropical areas was already studied for different species , including p . versicolor ( gobbi and zuchi 1985 ; gobbi et al . 1993 ; ramos and diniz 1993 ) , polistes lanio lanio ( giannotti 1992 ) , polistes cinerascens , polistes canadensis ( giannotti 1997 ; santos and gobbi 1998 ) and polistes simillimus ( prezoto 2001 ) . these studies corroborated the michener ( 1964 ) paradox of an inverse relationship between the group size and per capita productivity .

body mostly brown or black with cream or yellow markings and stripes . two common species are < em > polistes humilis < / em > and < em > polistes stigma < / em > . the latter has dark spots at the tips of the wings . nests are disc - shaped and suspended by a short , central stalk .

comparative data of 37 nests ' productivity by polistes versicolor colected in an antropic environmet in southeast brazil .

informations on polistes chinensis antennalis has been recorded for the following locations . click on the name for additional informations .

giannotti e . notes on the biology of polistes ( epicnemius ) subsericeus saussure , 1854 ( hymenoptera , vespidae ) .

the asian paper wasp resembles the australian ( sometimes called the tasmanian ) paper wasp polistes tasmaniensis humilis , a black and red - brown wasp with yellowish legs ( facing page , below ) which has been part of the bush and garden scene of northern new zealand for over 100 years .

hunt , j ( 1984 ) . " adult nourishment during larval provisioning in a primitively eusocial wasp , polistes metricus say " .

aspectos biológicos e etológicos da vespa social neotropical polistes ( aphanilopterus ) lanio lanio ( fabricius , 1775 ) ( hymenoptera , vespidae ) .

asian paper wasps are of medium size ( larger than australian paper wasp ( polistes humilis ) ) and have a slender reddish - brown to black body with yellow rings and reddish areas on their abdomen . they have unusually long legs ( that are hanging down when they are flying ) and reddish to brown wings .

clapperton , b . k . , and lo , p . l . 2000 . nesting biology of asian paper wasps polistes chinensis antennalis perez , and australian paper wasps p . humilis ( fab . ) ( hymenoptera : vesipade ) in northern new zealand . new zealand journal of zoology , 27 : 189 - 195 . urltoken

polistes humilis is a slender wasp with long , thin , reddish to brown wings . there are distinctly black and reddish - brown bands of colouration on their slender bodies ( 10mm to 15mmin length ) . there are some yellow markings on the face . they have unusually long legs ( that hang down when they are flying ) .

recommended citation : global invasive species database ( 2018 ) species profile : polistes chinensis antennalis . downloaded from urltoken on 09 - 07 - 2018 .

cumber , r . a . 1951 . some observations on the biology of the australian wasp , polistes humilis fabr . ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) in north auckland ( new zealand ) , with special reference to the nature of the worker caste . proceedings of the royal entomological society , london ( a ) 26 : 11 - 16 .

polistes humilis ( common paper wasp ) is probably most known to humans by its painful sting . these stings often result from agitation of nest sites . polistes humilis nests are often found in " modified habitats " where there is a mix of human structures and vegetation . since nests are typically found in walls , eaves of buildings , and fences , humans are particularly at risk of accidentally disturbing a nest site . however , while the sting is very painful , humans are not at risk of serious injury from the sting unless they are allergic . the best way to avoid a sting is to simply stay away from known nest sites if possible , as these wasps typically only sting as a defense mechanism .

zara , fernando ; balestieri , jose ( 2000 ) . " behavioural catalogue of polistes versicolor olivier ( vespidae : polistinae ) post - emergent colonies " .

. . . more recently , genetic studies have overcome such deficiencies , particularly in the study of social insects where microsatellite markers have been deployed to determine colony relatedness , maternity of broods and levels of genetic variation ( queller and goodnight 1989 ; queller et al . 1993 ; peters et al . 1995 ) . here we examine polistes humilis , a paper wasp endemic to australia ( and invasive in new zealand : clapperton et al . 1996 ) which is distributed from southern queensland , through new south wales to victoria and west to south australia ( richards 1978 ) . in p . humilis , as in other polistes species , there is no observable morphological differentiation between reproductive and sterile castes ( reeve 1991 ) . . . .

polistes chinensis is a polistine vespid wasp in the cosmopolitan genus polistes , and is commonly known as the asian , chinese or japanese paper wasp . it is found in east asia , in particular china and japan . the subspecies p . chinensis antennalis is an invasive species in new zealand , having arrived in 1979 .

. . . the australian paper wasp , polistes humilis ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) has been in new zealand for more than a century ( thomson 1922 ) , while the asian paper wasp , p . chinensis antennalis established itself probably in the late 1970s ( clapperton et al . 1989 ) . both species are widespread through the northern half of the north island ( clapperton et al . 1996 ) . the southernmost record for p . humilis is from manawatu , while p . c . antennalis nests have been found in nelson since 1990 ( rees 1999 ) . . . .

clapperton , b . k . , tilley , j . a . v . and pierce , r . j . 1996 . distribution and abundance of asian paper wasps polistes chinensis antennalis perez and australian paper wasps p . humilis ( fab . ) ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) in various habitats in new zealand . new zealand journal of zoology 23 : 19 - 25 urltoken

we provide the first description of the mating system , genetic structuring and dispersal in the australian paper wasp , polistes humilis . individuals were collected from 13 colonies that were within 700 m of each other at a location near sydney , australia . analysis of genotypic data from four microsatellite loci provided no evidence of males siring offspring in their natal colony and heterozygote excesses within most colonies suggest that this form of outbreeding is typical in p . humilis . the same data show that queens are singly mated and that the number of queens and therefore groups of full siblings increase with colony size . consequently , genetic variation also increases with colony size . the relationship between the number of queens and colony size in p . humilis may be indicative of a breakdown in dominance hierarchies in larger colonies or a defence against disease transmission .

clapperton , b . k . , and lo , p . l . 2000 . nesting biology of asian paper wasps polistes chinensis antennalis perez , and australian paper wasps p . humilis ( fab . ) ( hymenoptera : vesipade ) in northern new zealand . new zealand journal of zoology , 27 : 189 - 195 . summary : available from : urltoken [ accessed 15 august 2005 ]

in an ideal world , humans would be able to leave wasps alone . wasps are actually beneficial for most homeowners , because they kill off garden pests and are very gentle when away from their hive . paper wasps ( polistes humilis ) feed their young by hunting the garden - killing insects that would otherwise harm your plants and enter your home , and they help pollinate the environment .

p . humilis synoecus - female wing length 9 . 5 - 13 . 5mm ; propodeum usually with longitudinal yellow stripes ; gaster with 2 or 3 yellow bands ( occurs in northern nsw , qld , nt , wa )

lima et al . ( 2000 ) studied the substrata used by the social wasps in an area close to this study area , and they verified that the polistes species found nested preferably in human constructions ; finding nests in the vegetation was rare . butignol ( 1992 ) observed that the plants used as substratum by p . versicolor , in florianópolis , south of brazil , had perennial leaves , such as acacia podzarilifolia , fucreasea gigantea and acalipa wilkesianae . the use of plants as nesting substratum in anthropic environments was also observed by giannotti ( 1995 ) , who recorded nine polistes subsericeus colonies in a single pandanus veitichi ( pandanaceae ) plant . the author suggested that this plant offers a protected and criptic shelter for this species ' colonies . although the anthropic environment offers nesting resources , some species demonstrate preference for nesting in the natural environment , as observed by claperton ( 2000 ) for polistes humilis and polistes chinensis antennalis .

. . . the southernmost record for p . humilis is from manawatu , while p . c . antennalis nests have been found in nelson since 1990 ( rees 1999 ) . there have been recent records from other sites in the south island ( clapperton et al . 1996 ) , but the ability of p . c . antennalis to maintain populations at the higher latitudes of the south island might be limited by climatic conditions , especially temperature ( miyano 1981 ) . although p . c . antennalis has not displaced p . humilis in any region of new zealand , anecdotal evidence suggests that p . humilis has become less common in recent years ( clapperton et al . 1996 ) . . . .

p . chinensis is a member of the cosmopolitan genus polistes , the largest genus in the family vespidae , with over 300 recognized species and subspecies . two subspecies are known :

the asian paper wasp ( polistes chinensis antennalis ) is native to areas of japan and china and is currently a widespread introduced species in new zealand . research on its impact on nativ

suzuki , t . 1978 . area , efficiency and time foraging in polistes chinensis antennalis perez ( hymenoptera , vespidae ) . japanese journal of ecology , 28 , 179 - 189 .

clapperton , b . k . , tilley , j . a . v . and pierce , r . j . 1996 . distribution and abundance of asian paper wasps polistes chinensis antennalis perez and australian paper wasps p . humilis ( fab . ) ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) in various habitats in new zealand . new zealand journal of zoology 23 : 19 - 25 summary : available from : urltoken [ accessed 15 august 2005 ]

polistes can be distinguished from ropalidia by a number of characters , probably the easiest is in ropalidia the 2nd gastral segment is solidly fused and does not overlap the 3rd gastral segment - this gives the petiole a " knob " like appearance ; in polistes the 2nd gastral segment clearly overlaps the 3rd segment and ther is no " knob " like appearance to the gaster .

kudo , k . 2000 . variable investments in nests and worker production by the foundresses of polistes chinensis ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) . journal of ethology , 18 , 37 - 41 .

strassmann , j . e . & meyer , d . c . ( 1983 ) . gerontocracy in the social wasp , polistes exclamans . animal behavior , 31 : 431 - 438 .

asian paper wasp occur on shrubland , wetland and in urban areas . their nest is a delicate paper nests ( about the size of a pear ) is similar to those of australian paper wasp ( polistes humilis ) , and generally built in trees or bushes ( branches ) or on man - made structures . they feed on nectar and honeydew and prey on invertebrates . they are weak fliers with a maximum distance of less than 80m .

. . . there have been recent records from other sites in the south island ( clapperton et al . 1996 ) , but the ability of p . c . antennalis to maintain populations at the higher latitudes of the south island might be limited by climatic conditions , especially temperature ( miyano 1981 ) . although p . c . antennalis has not displaced p . humilis in any region of new zealand , anecdotal evidence suggests that p . humilis has become less common in recent years ( clapperton et al . 1996 ) . for example , in a rural garden near whangarei , northland , p . humilis nests decreased from 25 % of the paper wasp population in 1992 to 14 % in 1993 and 5 % in 1994 ( bkc unpubl . . . .

kudo , k . 2005 . effects of body mass on nest and brood development in the paper wasp , polistes chinensis ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) . sociobiology , 46 , 647 - 654 .

rabb r . l . 1960 . biological studies of polistes in north carolina ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) . annals of the entomological society of america . 53 : 111–121 . find this article online

rabb r . l . 1960 . biological studies of polistes in north carolina ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) . annals of the entomological society of america . 53 : 111�121 . find this article online

cumber , r . a . ( 1951 ) . some observations on the biology of the australia wasp polistes humilis fabr . ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) on north auckland ( new zeland ) with special reference to the nature of work caste . proceedings of the royal entomological society of london . series a , general entomology , 26 : 11 - 16 . doi : 10 . 1111 / j . 1365 - 3032 . 1951 . tb00104 . x .

kasuya , e . 1983 . social behaviour of early emerging males of a japanese paper wasp , polistes chinensis antennalis ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) . researches on population ecology 25 : 143 - 149 .

david c . post , and robert l . jeanne , “venom as an interspecific sex pheromone , and species recognition by a cuticular pheromone in paper wasps ( polistes , hymenoptera : vespidae ) , ”

rabb , r . l . & f . r . lawson , 1957 . some factors influencing the predation of polistes wasps on the tobacco hornworm . j . econ . entomol . 50 : 778–784 .

west - eberhard , mary jane . " dominance relations in polistes canadensis ( l . ) , a tropical social wasp . " monitore zoologico italiano 20 . 3 ( 1986 ) : 263 - 81 .

rabb , r . l . & f . r . lawson , 1957 . some factors influencing the predation of polistes wasps on the tobacco hornworm . j . econ . entomol . 50 : 778�784 .

giannotti e . , & machado , v . l . l . ( 1999 ) . behavioral castes in the primitively eussocial wasp polistes lanio fabricius ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) . revista brasileira de entomologia , 43 : 185 - 190 .

dymock , j . j . 2000 . risk assessment for establishment of polistine ( polistes spp . ) and vespine ( vespula spp . ) wasps on the three kings islands in the far north of new zealand . science for conservation 156 : 18 . urltoken

sledge m . f . , boscaro , f . & turillazzi , s . ( 2001 ) . cuticular hydrocarbons and reproductive status in the social wasp polistes dominulus . behavioral ecology and sociobiology , 49 : 401–409 . doi : 10 . 1007 / s002650000311 .

various other insects are parasites or parasitoids of polistes , including flies ( e . g . , sarcophagidae ) , mantispids , and wasps in the families torymidae , mutillidae ( rarely ) , braconidae , and ichneumonidae ( e . g . latibulus argiolus ) . some more specialized groups are more intimately associated with polistes ; this includes strepsipterans in the family stylopidae ( genus xenos ) , wasps of the genus elasmus ( formerly placed in their own family , " elasmidae " ) , and wasps in the family trigonalidae .

harris , a . , 2002 paper wasp heads south , in stowaway newsletter no . 2 october 2002 , landcare research , new zealand summary : records show that the asian paper wasp ( polistes chinensis antennalis ) is capable of surviving in southern new zealand .

toft , r . j . and harris , r . j . 2004 . short communication : can trapping control asian paper wasp ( polistes chinensis antennalis ) population ? new zealand . new zealand journal of ecology 28 ( 2 ) : 272 - 282 . urltoken

. . . polistes versicolor is introduced to the ecologically sensitive and historic galapagos islands , where it competes with native vertebrate predators for insect prey ( causton et al 2006 ) . other examples of invasive paper wasps are polistes aurifer saussure throughout the hawaian islands ( carpenter 2008 ) and polistes chinensis antennalis pérez in new zealand ( clapperton et al . 1996 ) . mitigation of social wasp numbers and pest status can sometimes be achieved with poison baits ( chang 1988 ; hanna et al . 2012 ) or lures for traps that are based on food materials ( dvorak & landolt 2006 ; ross et al . 1984 ; silveira et al . 2005 ; spurr 1995 spurr , 1996 ) or chemical attractants ( davis et al . 1969davis et al . , 1973 landolt 1998 ) . . . .

paper wasps have a small head , with medium sized eyes and medium length antennae . the body is slender , with a very narrow waist . there are two pairs of brown - tinted wings , with the first pair larger . the abdomen has some yellow / orange bands , but is mainly black . recently , the introduced asian paper wasp ( polistes chinensis ) has been reported from several inner city suburbs of sydney . this closely related species is larger than the native polistes and tends to have more distinctive yellow and brown bands .

clapperton , b . k . and dymock , j . j . 1997 . growth and survival of colonies of the asian paper wasp , polistes chinensis antennalis ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) , in new zealand . new zealand journal of zoology 24 : 9 - 15 . urltoken

kasuya , e . , hibino , y . , and ito , y . 1980 . on “intercolonial” cannibalism in japanese paper wasps , polistes chinensis antennalis pérez and p . jadwigale dalla torre ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) . researches on population ecology 22 : 255 - 262 .

röseler , p . f . , röseler , i . & strambi , a . ( 1985 ) . role of ovaries and ecdysteroids in dominance hierarchy establishment among foundresses of the primitively social wasp , polistes gallicus . behavioral ecology and sociobiology , 18 : 9 - 13 .

kasuya , e . , hibino , y . , and ito , y . 1980 . on �intercolonial� cannibalism in japanese paper wasps , polistes chinensis antennalis p�rez and p . jadwigale dalla torre ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) . researches on population ecology 22 : 255 - 262 .

australian paper wasps are smaller in size than the asian paper wasp ( polistes chinensis antennalis ) and can have a distinct black and reddish - brown coloration of their slender body . they have unusually long legs ( that are hanging down when they are flying ) and reddish to brown wings .

australian paper wasp occur on shrubland , wetland and in urban areas . their nest is a delicate paper nests ( similar to asian paper wasp ( polistes chinensis antennalis ) and attached by a short stalk to trees or man - made structures . they feed on nectar and honeydew and prey on invertebrates .

polistes humilis is the only species of the tribe polistini found in new zealand after it was accidentally introduced from australia in the 1880s . this social species of wasp is largely confined to the northisland north of tauranga and west of te kuiti . it is usually found in shrubland and swamps . in new zealand , it is classed as an unwanted organism because it is in competition with honeybees and native bird species over nectar and honeydew . the adults will also eat fruit . their larvae can be beneficial as they feed on some pest caterpillars provided by the adults . if a caterpillar is too large to carry the wasp will cut the body up with her sharp mouthparts and carry it back to the larvae in bits .

dymock , j . j . 2000 . risk assessment for establishment of polistine ( polistes spp . ) and vespine ( vespula spp . ) wasps on the three kings islands in the far north of new zealand . science for conservation 156 : 18 . summary : available from : urltoken [ accessed 15 february 2008 ]

toft , r . j . and harris , r . j . 2004 . short communication : can trapping control asian paper wasp ( polistes chinensis antennalis ) population ? new zealand . new zealand journal of ecology 28 ( 2 ) : 272 - 282 . summary : available from : urltoken [ accessed 25 january 2008 ]

clapperton , b . k . and dymock , j . j . 1997 . growth and survival of colonies of the asian paper wasp , polistes chinensis antennalis ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) , in new zealand . new zealand journal of zoology 24 : 9 - 15 . summary : available from : urltoken [ accessed 15 august 2005 ]

the asian paper wasp ( polistes chinensis antennalis ) is native to areas of japan and china and is currently a widespread introduced species in new zealand . research on its impact on native fauna is lacking but as it consumes insects it may potentially threaten native invertebrate species . it may also compete with native fauna for invertebrate and nectar resources .

they built a 10cm to 12cm diameter nest with multiple hexagonal cells out of a grey papery material made from chewed up wood fibre and saliva . the cone - shaped nest hangs by a single attachment point with a short stalk . this is attached to shrubs or man - made structures . an egg laid in each cell which hatches into a grub - like larva which is feed by the adults . after a period the cells are sealed and the larvae are left to pupate inside . most of the adult paper wasps die in winter , with a few hibernating to start new colonies . a polistes humilis nest . they are usually built them high in a tree . this nest is in a coastal tree ' karo ' ( pittosporum crassifolium ) . thanks to wikipedia for text and information : urltoken

this study ' s results demonstrate that p . versicolor nesting behavior is very similar to that described for other polistes species . in an anthropic environment , p . versicolor exhibited a preference for artificial substrata for nesting , which probably provides larger longevity for the nests due to protection from the stress of weather . in this type of environment , usually a group of females found their nests in different climatic situations , which results in production of colonies of various sizes and also causes a different productivity among them . although these results enlarge knowledge on the p . versicolor foundation pattern in anthropic environments , there are many subjects needing further study mainly to increase knowledge about nesting behavior of other neotropical polistes species .

dapporto , l . , sledge , f . m . & turillazzi , s . ( 2005 ) . dynamics of cuticular chemical profiles of polistes dominulus workers in orphaned nests ( hymenoptera , vespidae ) . journal of insect physiology , 51 : 969 - 973 . doi : 10 . 1016 / j . jinsphys . 2005 . 04 . 011 .

. . . this suggests that it has not yet reached its maximum distribution . a survey conducted in northern north island in the 1990s indicated that p . chinensis was more abundant than p . humilis in most habitat types ( clapperton et al . 1996 ) . although it was less common in dense forests , p . chinensis was frequently found in flax and salt meadows , manuka / kanuka forests and low scrub , as well as urban habitats . . . .

gobbi , n . , noll , f . b . & penna , m . a . h . ( 2006 ) . “winter” aggregations , colony cycle , and seasonal phenotypic change in the paper wasp polistes versicolor in subtropical brazil . naturwissenschaften , 93 : 487 - 494 . doi : 10 . 1007 / s00114 - 006 - 0140 - z .

tannure - nascimento , i . c . , nascimento , f . s . & zucchi , r . ( 2005 ) . size and colony cycle in polistes satan , a neotropical paper wasp ( hymenoptera , vespidae ) . ethology , ecology and evolution , 17 : 105 - 119 . doi : 10 . 1080 / 08927014 . 2005 . 9522601 .

dapporto , l . , lambardi , d . & turillazzi , s . ( 2008 ) . not only cuticular lipids : first evidence of differences between foundresses and their daughters in polar substances in the paper wasp polistes dominulus . journal of insect physiology , 54 : 89 - 95 . doi : 10 . 1016 / j . jinsphys . 2007 . 08 . 005 .

the neotropical social wasp , polistes versicolor ( olivier ) ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) , possesses nests consisting of a single comb fixed to the substratum by a peduncle ( richards 1978 ) . the simple arrangement of suspended cells seems to protect the colony from ant attacks , which constitute the largest predatory pressure for social wasps ( jeanne 1975 , 1980 ; post and jeanne 1985 ) .

between 1987 and 1991 , nearly 1500 samples of wasps were collected by the public after two national publicity campaigns . the asian paper wasp ( polistes chinensis antennalis ) arrived in 1979 and by 1990 was widespread throughout the upper north island and present as far south as lower hutt and nelson . it had also reached various islands near the coast of northland and auckland . p . c . antennalis populations increased the most between 1987 and 1990 in the central north island . the australian paper wasp ( p . humilis ) arrived in the 1880s and its distribution did not change between 1987 and 1991 . it was still restricted to the upper north island , apart from one record from manawatu . it had not been displaced by p . c . antennalis . most paper wasps were collected from urban habitats . a survey of natural habitats in northland showed that p . c . antennalis also reached high population densities in open warm shrublands , flax swamps , and salt meadows . paper wasps were rarely collected at altitudes above 100 m a . s . l . p . c . antennalis appeared in the samples earlier in the season than p . humilis , and both were most abundant during march and april . high populations of p . c . antennalis have increased the danger of stings to people by paper wasps , the predation of indigenous invertebrates , and also the beneficial reduction of lepidopteran pests in gardens .

polistine and vespine wasps were captured in malaise traps in two fire - modified shrubland habitats of varying canopy height and composition at lake ohia , northland , new zealand . prey consumption rates were calculated for the asian paper wasp ( polistes chinensis antennalis ) occupying these two areas of shrubland and a home garden in whangarei , northland . the sites were systematically searched . . . [ show full abstract ]

sexual discrimination may also occur after pupation . an unusual way to funnel colony resources into females has been observed in the social wasp polistes dominulus , where workers forcibly ‘stuff’ young males head - first into empty nest - cells when foragers return to the colony ( starks & poe , 1997 ) . ‘stuffed’ males are temporarily unable to feed , which seems to ensure that food is preferentially distributed to larvae .

. . . the australian p . humilis , is thought to have been introduced in new zealand in the 1880s . it occurs mostly in warmer regions of the upper north island , with few records from other parts of the north island ( clapperton et al . 1996 ) . by contrast , the east asian p . chinensis , which was detected in 1979 near auckland , has spread rapidly across much of the north island and , since the 1990s , has colonized several locations in the south island ( clapperton et al . 1996 ) . . . .

paper wasps are distinguished from vespulid wasps by their body shape . they have slender 13mm to 25mm reddish brown to black bodies with yellow rings and reddish areas on abdomen . their wings are reddish or amber brown and they have long legs that especially noticeable in flight when they hang down . please see padil ( pests and diseases image library ) wasps : asian paper wasp polistes chinensis antennalis perez for high quality diagnostic and overview images .

hunt , j . h . , mutti , n . s . , havukainen , h . henshaw , m . t . & amdam , g . v . ( 2011 ) . development of an rna interference tool , characterization of its target , and an ecological test of caste differentiation in the eusocial wasp polistes . plos one 6 ( 11 ) : e26641 . doi : 10 . 1371 / journal . pone . 0026641 .

polistes versicolor colony contruction pattern in an anthropic environment , juiz de fora , minas gerais state , southeastern brazil . a = place inspection for foundation , b = oviposition behavior in the first cell , c = first cell with circular format and egg , d = construction behavior by the female in the solitary foundation , e = hexagonal format of cells in the solitary foundation , and f = foundress association . high quality figures are available online .

so when the asian paper wasp , polistes chinensis ( right ) arrived in new zealand in the late 1970s wearing the same black - and - yellow livery as its european relatives the german and common wasps , it boded no good for either people or other insects . and so it proved : the new arrival settled quickly into the suburbs of auckland , and is now responsible for the majority of wasp stings there that result in visits to the doctor .

paper wasps are distinguished from vespulid wasps by their body shape . they have slender 13mm to 25mm reddish brown to black bodies with yellow rings and reddish areas on abdomen . their wings are reddish or amber brown and they have long legs that especially noticeable in flight when they hang down . please see padil ( pests and diseases image library ) wasps : asian paper wasp \ r \ n polistes chinensis antennalis perez for high quality diagnostic and overview images .

bonavita - cougourdan , a . , theraulaz , g . , bagnères , a . g . , roux , m . , pratte , m . , provost , e . & clément , j . l . ( 1991 ) . cuticular hydrocarbons , social organization and ovarian development in a polistine wasp : polistes dominulus christ . comparative biochemistry and physiology , 100 : 667–680 . doi : 10 . 1016 / 0305 - 0491 ( 91 ) 90272 - f .

in temperate climates , female paper wasps typically initiate new colonies in the spring . several nest - founding tactics have been documented in polistes species , including solitary nest initiation , joining a cooperative association , usurping an existing nest , or adopting an abandoned nest . occasionally , exceptionally large groups of females have also been found reusing nests from the previous season . here we report this phenomenon in introduced populations of the eurasian species polistes dominulus . we describe in detail the demographic and genetic characteristics of one such spring colony from los angeles , california , usa , which was collected with 84 associated adults and all stages of developing brood in its 613 cells . genetic and morphological data indicate the presence of multiple reproductively active females of varying relatedness , as well as many nonbreeding females , including probable early - produced offspring . despite some evidence of chaotic social conditions , the colony appeared to have been highly productive . additional observations of similar colonies are needed to determine how control is maintained within such a large breeding aggregation .

once male reproductives emerge and both males and females disperse from the natal nest for mating flights , the so - called intermediate phase begins . brood care and foraging behavior decline and worker numbers drop as dying individuals are no longer replaced by new ones . intracolonial aggression increases and the social cohesion of the nest declines . in temperate polistes species , individuals ( almost exclusively inseminated females ) gather in groups of up to 50 individuals and seek a sheltered location ( called a hibernaculum ) in which to overwinter .

the p . versicolor unproductive cells were concentrated on periphery of the comb , which was also noted for p . canadensis ( santos and gobbi 1998 ) and p . simillimus ( prezoto 2001 ) , and the cells with the largest number of utilizations were located in close proximity to the peduncle and in the central nest area , that are the oldest part of the comb . this disposition can work as a strategy against the predatory pressure , parasitism and reproductive conflicts , all mentioned by gobbi et al . ( 1993 ) as factors that impose limits on the number of cells built in polistes nests .

a large number of polistes species use human constructions as nesting substratum ( fowler 1983 ; butignol 1992 ; giannotti and mansur 1993 ) ; although they can also use natural environment , such as plants and termite colonies ( makino 1985 ; henriques et al . 1992 ; claperton 2000 ; sinzato and prezoto 2000 ) . the results of this study demonstrated the p . versicolor synantropism in relation to the constructions with little human interference , which is a behavior already described for the species ( butignol 1992 ; sinzato and prezoto 2000 ) , as well as for p . lanio ( giannotti 1992 ) and p . simillimus ( prezoto 2001 ) .

the high failure number ( 90 . 06 % ) of the colonies founded by a single female p . versicolor in the present study occurred mainly because the foundress abandoned the nest during the initial colony establishment phase , before the larvae appeared . this same phenomenon was described by tannure and nascimento ( 1999 ) for the same species . it is believed that this behavior is associated with the fact that the wasps migrate in search of association with other foundresses . other factors as foundress death or disappearance and dominance disputes also promote colony failure in polistes species ( reeve 1991 ; giannotti and mansur 1993 ; tannure and nascimento 1999 ; prezoto 2001 ) .

. . . such comparison provides direct evidence of what factors would affect invasive population structures in relation to the factors above mentioned and will help our deeper understanding of invasion mechanisms . the paper wasp , polistes chinensis antennalis , was accidentally introduced to new zealand by long distant dispersal across the hemispheres , was first detected in 1979 ( clapperton et al . 1996 ) around the whangaparaoa peninsula near the city of auckland and became a threat against human outdoor activity due to its sting ( beggs et al . 2011 ) . the species subsequently expanded its distribution range to include almost all of north island and the northern half of south island . . . .

workers police each other ' s eggs . 88 . 5 % of queens eggs survive to hatching vs 1 . 4 % of worker’s . worker reproduction is frequent in queen - right colonies in which the queen is alive . both queen and workers replaced workers eggs . p . chinensis was studied alongside polistes snelleni for comparison in this conflict . in p . snelleni , queens monopolize egg production . queens contributed 2 . 4 times more to replacing than workers . workers sequentially perform oophagy and oviposition in the same cells . the ratio of worker - produced eggs to eggs laid by the queen is 3 or 4 times to one in a colony having between 100 and 500 wasps .

there are two options for advancing a biocontrol programme for paper wasps in new zealand . the fi rst would involve conducting surveys in the native ranges of the two species to identify their natural enemies and any prospective biocontrol agents . the second , cheaper approach would be to consider the natural enemies already known to have a major impact on other polistes species and whether they might be suitable for new zealand . the advantage of using less specific agents is that any new species of paper wasps that manage to invade new zealand in the future might also be suppressed early on . fortunately , because our native hymenoptera are not closely related to the introduced paper wasps , it is unlikely that any potential biocontrol agents would pose a threat to them .

studies accomplished at other places in brazil describe foundress association as a foundation type commonly observed for p . versicolor ( itô 1985 ; butignol 1992 ; giannotti and mansur 1993 ; ramos and diniz 1993 ; tannure and nascimento 1999 ; sinzato and prezoto 2000 ) . females association is also a common strategy in other neotropical species such as polistes ferreri ( tannure and nascimento 1999 ) , p . canadensis ( itô 1985 ) and p . lanio ( giannotti 1992 ) . however , prezoto ( 2001 ) observed that the foundation by a single female constitutes 56 . 3 % of p . simillimus foundations , with success of 37 . 09 % of them . in spite of that , the author observed that , even being the smallest part of the total foundations , the foundress association was responsible for the largest number of successful colonies in p . simillimus .

during nest foundation the solitary nesting females typically construct and oviposit in combs with from 20 to 30 cells ( west - eberhard 1969 ) . a polistes foundress has at least two reproductive options besides solitary nest founding . she can join conspecific females in another nest or attempt to take over a nest initiated by a conspecific female ( reeve 1991 ) . this behavior creates a series of advantages to the new nests , as productivity can increase and consequently , colony success can increase , offspring survival can improve in the case of dominant female death , as well as providing a more effective defense against natural enemies ( west - eberhard 1969 ; itô 1985 ; butignol 1992 ; giannotti and mansur 1993 ; tannure and nascimento 1999 ; sinzato and prezoto 2000 ; tibbetts and reeve 2003 ) . during the colony ' s foundation ( i . e . prior to eclosion of new adults ) , aggressive interactions happen among the nestmates , many times involving intense fights ( west - eberhard 1969 ; gamboa and dropkin 1979 ; strasmmann 1989 ) .

a fundamental feature in the evolution of social insects is the separation of castes , and the presence of wide differentiation between castes indicates a more advanced degree of sociability . in this study , we evaluated factors that indicate the reproductive status of females in colonies of the social wasp polistes versicolor . the reproductive status of each female was examined by measuring nine morphometric characters , by the cuticular chemical profile , insemination and by her relative age . we conclude that in p . versicolor colonies there are 3 female groups that show cuticular chemical profile difference . the first group belong to females with ovarioles filamentous , typical of workers ; the second is females with ovarioles intermediates ; and the third is a group of queens , which are older females , inseminated and with greater degree of ovarian development found among all females . on the other hand , there was no significant morphological differences between these female groups . therefore , although no significant morphological differences among females there are other factors such as the cuticular chemical composition that is an indicative of reproductive physiological condition of female in the colony .

walker , k . 2007 . asian paper wasp ( polistes chinensis antennalis ) pest and diseases image library summary : padil ( pests and diseases image library ) is a commonwealth government initiative , developed and built by museum victoria s online publishing team , with support provided by daff ( department of agriculture , fisheries and forestry ) and pha ( plant health australia ) , a non - profit public company . project partners also include museum victoria , the western australian department of agriculture and the queensland university of technology . the aim of the project is : 1 ) production of high quality images showing primarily exotic targeted organisms of plant health concern to australia . 2 ) assist with plant health diagnostics in all areas , from initial to high level . 3 ) capacity building for diagnostics in plant health , including linkage developments between training and research organisations . 4 ) create and use educational tools for training undergraduates / postgraduates . 5 ) engender public awareness about plant health concerns in australia . padil is available from : urltoken this page is available from : urltoken [ accessed 10 november 2007 ]

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common paper wasps are social insects , that are common around the outside of homes and in gardens . these slender wasps have long thin wings and are tan with darker bands and some yellow markings on the face . their paper nests are often seen hanging by a short stalk from eaves , pergola or shrubbery . although they can be pests because of their readiness to sting , paper wasps can also be beneficial in that they are predators of some pest caterpillars .

adult paper wasps feed on nectar . larvae feed on caterpillars provided by the adults .

paper wasps are social wasps forming small colonies of 12 to 20 individuals . they built a nest out of grey papery material made from chewed up wood fibre and saliva . nests are often located under eaves , pergolas or in shrubs . the nest is cone - shaped , becoming rounder as more cells are added . the nest has a maximum diameter of 10cm to 12cm with numerous hexagonal cells visible underneath , some of the cells having white caps . an egg laid in each cell which hatches into a grub like larva . the adults feed the larvae on chewed - up caterpillars caught by the adults . the cells are then capped and the larvae pupate inside . most of the adult paper wasps die in winter , with a few hibernating to start new colonies .

paper wasps are found across southern mainland australia including southern queensland , new south wales , victoria , south australia and southern western australia .

paper wasps will readily attack and sting anyone approaching or disturbing their nest . they have a painful sting and will attack any person approaching or disturbing their nest . nests in high traffic areas should be sprayed at night ( when the wasps are at rest on the nest ) with appropriate insecticide . nests that are out of reach are not a problem and can be left alone . generally applying a cold pack to the sting is enough , but seek medical attention if symptoms become more severe or victim has known allergy to stings . .

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richards , o . w . 1978 , " the australian social wasps ( hymenoptera : vespidae ) " , australian journal of zoology supplementary series , vol . 61 , pp . 1 - 132

urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : 465be0e3 - 9e2f - 4883 - beba - cd9cfdb3c80f

urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : b058ca7e - 53da - 4927 - a0b5 - 5b8b5f217780

urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . taxon : e27d813a - 0e26 - 45c5 - 9396 - 687d368a2c37

urn : lsid : biodiversity . org . au : afd . name : 456815

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the common paper wasp is about 10 - 15mm in length ( slightly longer than a honey bee ) , with a slender body , a very narrow waist , a pointed abdomen and long thin legs and wings . the body has brown , black and yellow bands . in melbourne , common paper wasps are common around the outside of homes and in gardens , and are often mistaken for european wasps .