Northern paper wasp

Appearance

"Polistes fuscatus" can reach a length of 15–21 millimetres. The basic colour is black or dark brown-reddish, with transversal yellow markings on the abdomen. This species is highly variable in colours and markings,especially in the facial patterns. Females bear a venomous sting. These paper wasps show a characteristic flight, with their long slender legs dangling below their bodies. The adults feed on nectar, their main source of energy, but are also predatory, especially of caterpillars, grasshoppers and small insects, which are used to feed to the larvae until they pupate.

The life cycle lasts approximately one year. In early spring the new queen emerging from hibernation starts a new colony, building an umbrella-shaped nest made of a papery material and suspended by a single stalk. The queen lays eggs into individual cells. The first generation is composed by workers or infertile females. In the next generation there are multiple queens with communal nests, but the other fertile females accept the dominance of a single female and raise offsprings cooperatively. Later in summer are produced the next year's queens that will mate with males. The newly-mated queens will hibernate in winter, while old founding queens, workers and males die.

Distribution

"Polistes fuscatus" can be found in temperate North America, from British Columbia and Quebec to Florida and West Virginia. It is the native "paper wasp" most common in the American midwest.

Habitat

This species is mainly present in woodlands, as wood is necessary for building nests, but it is also quite common around human habitations.