Polistes

Polistes is a cosmopolitan genus of paper wasps and the only genus in the tribe Polistini. Vernacular names for the genus include umbrella wasps, coined by Walter Ebeling in 1975 to distinguish it from other types of paper wasp, in reference to the form of their nests, and umbrella paper wasps. Polistes is the single largest genus within the family Vespidae, with over 200 recognized species. Their innate preferences for nest-building sites leads them to commonly build nests on human habitation, where they can be very unwelcome; although generally not aggressive, they can be provoked into defending their nests. All species are predatory, and they may consume large numbers of caterpillars, in which respect they are generally considered beneficial.
Description
As part of subfamily Polistinae, Polistes wasps are covered in short and inconspicuous hair, have a clypeus with a pointed apex, have a gena that is wide throughout, tergum 1 of the metasoma is almost straight to gently arched in profile, the tibia of the mid leg has two spurs, and the legs end in simple tarsal claws. The genus can be distinguished from other Polistinae by a sessile metasoma (the first segment at most slightly longer than wide) and the fourth tarsomeres of the mid and hind legs being symmetrical.
Polistes show sexual dimorphism, with males having seven externally visible metasomal segments whereas females have six. This trait is shared with other vespid wasps.
Polistes species have single-layered nests which are shaped like an umbrella, with the cells exposed to the air from the bottom, and no layer wrapping around the nest. The nests are suspended from a surface by a petiole and are constructed from a paper-like substance made of a mix of saliva and wood fibres chewed off old and soft wood or dead twigs. Many Polistes species in general often have nests supported by a longer petiole than those of Vespula.
Biochemistry
Similar to many insects, Carlson et al 1998 finds Polistes cuticular hydrocarbons to be predominantly many branched, methyl branched alkanes. The reviews of Nelson 1978, Lockey 1988 and Nelson 1993 concur.
Life cycle
The general life cycle of Polistes can be divided into four phases:
Founding (or pre-emergence) phase
Worker phase
Reproductive phase
Intermediate phase
Founding (or pre-emergence) phase
The founding stage begins in the spring when a solitary female (the "foundress") (or a small group of related females) initiates the construction of a nest. The wasps begin by fashioning a petiole, a short stalk which will connect the new nest to a substrate (often the eave of a house or outbuilding), and building a single brood cell at the end of it. Further cells are added laterally in a hexagonal pattern, each cell surrounded by six others. Although nests can achieve impressive sizes, they almost always maintain a basic shape: petiolated (stellocyttarous), single-combed, unprotected, and open (gymnodomous).
Eggs are laid by the foundress directly into the brood cells and are guarded by the foundress and the assisting females (if present). After the first larvae hatch, the foundress feeds them via progressive provisioning, bringing softened caterpillar flesh to the larvae multiple times throughout their development (as opposed to the one-time provisioning seen in some other hymenopteran groups). Each of this first seasonal brood of new paper wasps is exclusively female and destined to a subordinate worker position inside the nest; they do not found their own nests and instead assist their mother in the care and maintenance of future sisters.
Some foundress wasps do not build their own nests, but rather attempt to usurp that of another female. These usurpation attempts may or may not be successful, but almost always result in impressive displays of aggression and violence. Females may also adopt a more peaceful alternative reproduction strategy by joining the nest of a close relative (usually a sister) and working as assisting females. In the latter case, such cofounding females are generally, but not exclusively, close relatives.
Worker phase
The worker phase usually begins in the early summer, roughly two months after colony initiation, with the emergence of the first workers. These new females take up most of the colony's work duties, foraging, caring for brood, and maintaining the structure of the nest. Around this time, those females which assisted in nest foundation (if present) are driven from the nest by aggressive behavior on the part of the foundress, and leave either to start their own late-season nests or usurp another's.
Reproductive phase
The reproductive phase of the colony begins when the first female reproductives (the gynes) emerge from their brood cells. These reproductives differ from their worker sisters by having increased levels of fat stores and cryoprotectant carbohydrate compounds (allowing them to survive the overwintering period). These reproductives contribute genes directly to the next generation, while their worker sisters normally pass along their genes indirectly.
Intermediate phase
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.
Behavior
Kin selection
The reproductive behavior of Polistes wasps provided some of the first evidence for the mathematical biologist W. D. Hamilton's 1964 theory of kin selection. Hamilton showed that animals such as workers could be expected to provide assistance to relatives such as their queens according to the costs and benefits involved (K) and their degree of genetic relatedness (r), and gave the rule that now carries his name, K > 1/r. Early caution existed among researchers as to whether social insects could really assess their relatedness. Hamilton himself suggested an alternative possibility, namely that kin could become associated simply by "population viscosity" —that offspring tend not to disperse far from their birthplaces— and West-Eberhard (1969) found some evidence for this in Polistes. However, Polistes species are now known to learn and remember chemical signals (hydrocarbons) picked up from the nest to distinguish nestmates accurately from non-relatives.
Dominance hierarchy system
Morphologically, the foundress and subordinate reproductive members of the colony differ little. However, behavioral differentiation occurs among females both between and within generations. For example, in the species Polistes humilis the queen displays a "tail-wagging" behavior to assert her dominance over the worker class. Similarly, Polistes canadensis also possesses behavioral differentiation between the queen and her nestmates, with the queen often suppressing the aggressive behavior of subordinates through lateral abdominal vibrations and stroking. In contrast, unmated females are not aggressive. In Polistes exclamans queens have different amounts of glucose, fructose, and trehalose which lead to different cryoprotectant levels. This alters their survivability in different temperatures, increasing their odds of reproduction. Females in P. bellicosus are also morphologically similar between caste separations. For example, a P. bellicosus worker could become queen, and egg-layer, if all of the original foundresses die or leave the nest. This is also true for Polistes dorsalis, which also displays dominant behavior. Despite having no distinct morphological caste, roles of P. dorsalis tend to be fixed in a system with division of labor.
Nestmate recognition
Polistes spp. discriminate colony mates using an acquired (i.e. learned) cue, absorbing hydrocarbons from the natal nest at eclosion. This cuticular hydrocarbon "signature" is derived both from the plant material and the foundress-applied substances from which the nest is made. Studies of Polistes fuscatus have researched the molecular basis of the recognition "pheromone" used by the wasps, and indicate at least some of the recognizable labels have the same chemical constituents as the adult cuticular hydrocarbons. Similar recognition is found in Polistes metricus.
Dominant individuals of P. dominula have differing cuticular profiles from workers, and the frequent observations of the dominant female stroking its gaster across the nest surface, combined with its staying on the nest for longer times than subordinates, suggests the dominant individual may contribute more to the nest odor.
P. carolina females do not preferentially feed their own progeny (as larvae), so it may be the case that nest odor only serves as a likely indicator of relatedness, rather than a specific label of kinship.
Further to this recognition of nestmates, Polistes biglumis foundresses discriminate between 'alien' eggs and their own via differential oophagy. The mechanism of differentiation is not elucidated, but is thought to be based upon differences in cuticular hydrocarbon odor.
Gallery
Species
203 species were described in the genus by 1996, and new species continue to be described. There are nine species in Europe.
224 species and 126 subspecies are as follows:
Polistes actaeon Haliday, 1836
Polistes adelphus Richards, 1978
Polistes adustus Bingham, 1897
Polistes affinis Gusenleitner, 2006
Polistes africanus Palisot de Beauvois, 1818
Polistes albicinctus de Saussure, 1890
Polistes albocalcaratus du Buysson, 1905
Polistes angulinus Richards, 1951
Polistes angusticlypeus Gusenleitner, 2006
Polistes annularis (Linnaeus, 1763)
Polistes apachus (de Saussure, 1857)
Polistes apicalis de Saussure, 1858
Polistes aquilinus du Buysson, 1905
Polistes arizonensis Snelling, 1954
Polistes arthuri Cameron, 1901
Polistes assamensis Bingham, 1897
Polistes associus Kohl, 1898
Polistes asterope Cameron, 1901
Polistes asterope arvidi Petersen, 1990
Polistes asterope asterope Cameron, 1901
Polistes asterope narupi Petersen, 1990
Polistes aterrimus de Saussure, 1853
Polistes atrimandibularis Zimmermann, 1930
Polistes atrox Richards, 1978
Polistes aurifer de Saussure, 1853
Polistes austroccidentalis Van Achterberg & Neumeyer, 2017
Polistes badius Gerstaecker, 1871
Polistes bahamensis Bequaert & Salt, 1931
Polistes balder Kirby, 1888
Polistes bambusae Richards, 1978
Polistes bambusae bambusae Richards, 1978
Polistes bambusae humboldti Richards, 1978
Polistes bellicosus Cresson, 1872
Polistes bequaertellus Snelling, 1983,
Polistes bequaerti von Schulthess, 1921
Polistes bequaertianus Willink, 1954
Polistes bicolor Lepeletier, 1836
Polistes biglumis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Polistes biguttatus Haliday, 1836
Polistes billardieri Fabricius, 1804
Polistes billardieri biglumoides Ducke, 1904
Polistes billardieri billardieri Fabricius, 1804
Polistes billardieri ruficornis de Saussure, 1853
Polistes binotatus de Saussure, 1853
Polistes bischoffi Weyrauch, 1937
Polistes bituberculatus du Buysson, 1905
Polistes boharti Snelling, 1983
Polistes brevifissus Richards, 1978
Polistes brunus Nguyen & Carpenter, 2017
Polistes bucharensis Petersen, 1990
Polistes buruensis Erichson, 184
Polistes buyssoni Brèthes, 1909
Polistes callimorphus de Saussure, 1853
Polistes canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Polistes canadensis borientalis Richards, 1978
Polistes canadensis canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Polistes candidoi von Ihering, 1903
Polistes capnodes van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes capnodes capnodes van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes capnodes incomptus van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes capnodes quadrifasciatus van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes carnifex (Fabricius, 1775)
Polistes carnifex boliviensis Bequaert, 1936
Polistes carnifex carnifex (Fabricius, 1775)
Polistes carnifex carnifex Latreille, 1817
Polistes carolina (Linnaeus, 1767)
Polistes cavapyta de Saussure, 1853
Polistes cavapytiformis Richards, 1978
Polistes chinensis (Fabricius, 1793)
Polistes chinensis antennalis Pérez, 1905
Polistes chinensis chinensis (Fabricius, 1793)
Polistes cinerascens de Saussure, 1854
Polistes claripennis Ducke, 1904
Polistes clavicornis van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes comanchus de Saussure, 1857
Polistes comanchus comanchus de Saussure, 1857
Polistes comanchus navajoe Cresson, 1868
Polistes communalis Nguyen, Vu, & Carpenter, 2017
Polistes consobrinus de Saussure, 1858
Polistes contrarius Cheesman, 1951
Polistes crinitus (Felton, 1765)
Polistes crinitus americanus (Fabricius, 1775)
Polistes crinitus crinitus (Felton, 1765)
Polistes crinitus multicolor (Olivier, 1792)
Polistes cubensis Lepeletier, 1836
Polistes davillae Richards, 1978
Polistes dawnae Dover & Rao, 1922
Polistes deceptor Schulz, 1905
Polistes defectivus Gerstaecker, 1871
Polistes delhiensis Das & Gupta, 1984
Polistes diabolicus de Saussure, 1853
Polistes diakonovi Kostylev, 1940
Polistes dominicus (Vallot, 1802)
Polistes dominula (Christ, 1791)
Polistes dorsalis (Fabricius, 1775)
Polistes dorsalis californicus Bohart, 1949
Polistes dorsalis clarionensis Bohart, 1949
Polistes dorsalis dorsalis (Fabricius, 1775)
Polistes dorsalis maritimus Bequaert, 1940
Polistes dorsalis neotropicus Bequaert, 1940
Polistes ebsohinus Sonan, 1943
Polistes eburneus Bequaert, 1943
Polistes elegans Smith, 1859
Polistes ellenbergi du Buysson, 1908
Polistes ephippium Cameron, 1900
Polistes erythrinus Holmgren, 1868
Polistes erythrocephalus Latreille, 1813
Polistes exclamans Viereck, 1906
Polistes extraneus Kirby, 1883
Polistes facilis de Saussure, 1853
Polistes fastidiosus de Saussure, 1853
Polistes ferreri de Saussure, 1853
Polistes flavobilineatus (Cameron, 1902)
Polistes flavus Cresson, 1868
Polistes foederatus Kohl, 1898
Polistes fordi van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes formosanus Sonan, 1927
Polistes franciscanus Richards, 1978
Polistes fuscatus (Fabricius, 1793)
Polistes gallicus (Linnaeus, 1767)
Polistes geminatus Fox, 1898
Polistes geminatus geminatus Fox, 1898
Polistes geminatus guyanensis Cameron, 1912
Polistes gigas (Kirby, 1826)
Polistes goeldii Ducke, 1904
Polistes haugi du Buysson, 1906
Polistes hebridensis Giordani Soika, 1981
Polistes hebridensis erromangensis Giordani Soika, 1981
Polistes hebridensis hebridensis Giordani Soika, 1981
Polistes hebridensis malekulensis Giordani Soika, 1981
Polistes hebridensis vilensis Giordani Soika, 1981
Polistes helveticus Neumeyer, 2014
Polistes hirsuticornis Buck, 2012
Polistes horrendus Gusenleitner, 2006
Polistes huacapistana Richards, 1978
Polistes huisunensis Kuo, 1987
Polistes humeralis Polašek, 2023
Polistes humilis (Fabricius, 1781)
Polistes humilis centrocontinentalis Giordani Soika, 1975
Polistes humilis humilis (Fabricius, 1781)
Polistes humilis synoecus de Saussure, 1853
Polistes incertus Cresson, 1865
Polistes indicus Stolfa, 1934
Polistes infuscatus Lepeletier, 1836
Polistes infuscatus anduzei Bequaert, 1943
Polistes infuscatus ecuadorius Richards, 1978
Polistes infuscatus infuscatus Lepeletier, 1836
Polistes infuscatus mariae Richards, 1978
Polistes infuscatus metensis Richards, 1978
Polistes instabilis de Saussure, 1853
Polistes intermedius Kojima, 1988
Polistes iranus Guiglia, 1976
Polistes japonicus de Saussure, 1858
Polistes jokahamae Radoszkowski, 1887
Polistes kaibabensis Hayward, 1932
Polistes khasianus Cameron, 1900
Polistes laevigatissimus Giordani Soika, 1975
Polistes lanio (Fabricius, 1775)
Polistes lanio lanio (Fabricius, 1775)
Polistes lanio satanulus Bequaert, 1940
Polistes lanio weberi Bequaert, 1940
Polistes lateritius Smith, 1857
Polistes latinis Das & Gupta, 1984
Polistes legnotus van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes lepcha Cameron, 1900
Polistes lineonotus Bohart, 1949
Polistes loveridgei Bequaert, 1938
Polistes lycus Cameron, 1901
Polistes macrocephalus Bequaert, 1918
Polistes madecassus de Saussure, 1853
Polistes madiburensis von Schulthess, 1921
Polistes major Palisot de Beauvois, 1818
Polistes major bonaccensis Bequaert, 1937
Polistes major castaneicolor Bequaert, 1936
Polistes major colombianus Bequaert, 1940
Polistes major major Palisot de Beauvois, 1818
Polistes major weyrauchi Bequaert, 1940
Polistes mandarinus de Saussure, 1853
Polistes maranonensis Willink, 1964
Polistes marginalis (Fabricius, 1775)
Polistes marginalis baidoensis Giordani Soika, 1944
Polistes marginalis lindensis Giordani Soika, 1981
Polistes marginalis marginalis (Fabricius, 1775)
Polistes marginalis meruensis Giordani Soika, 1981
Polistes maroccanus Schmid-Egger, 2017
Polistes meadeanus von Schulthess, 1913
Polistes melanopterus Cameron, 1911
Polistes melanosoma de Saussure, 1853
Polistes melanotus Richards, 1978
Polistes mertoni du Buysson, 1913
Polistes metricus Say, 1831
Polistes mexicanus Bequaert, 1940
Polistes minor Palisot de Beauvois, 1818
Polistes mongolicus Buysson, 1911
Polistes moraballi Richards, 1951
Polistes myersi Bequaert, 1934
Polistes myersi curassavicus Richards, 1978
Polistes myersi myersi Bequaert, 1934
Polistes mysteriosus Bequaert, 1938
Polistes niger Brèthes, 1903
Polistes nigrifrons Smith, 1859
Polistes nigrifrons nigrifrons Smith, 1859
Polistes nigrifrons obdurus Cheesman, 1951
Polistes nigrifrons stotherti Meade-Waldo, 1916
Polistes nigritarsis Cameron, 1900
Polistes nimpha (Christ, 1791)
Polistes ninabamba Richards, 1978
Polistes nipponensis Pérez, 1905
Polistes notatipes Richards, 1978
Polistes obscurus de Saussure, 1863
Polistes occipitalis Ducke, 1904
Polistes occultus Kojima, 1988
Polistes oculatus Smith, 1857
Polistes olivaceus (DeGeer, 1773)
Polistes opacus Gusenleitner, 2006
Polistes ornatus Lepeletier, 1836
Polistes pacificus Fabricius, 1804
Polistes palmarum Bequaert, 1936
Polistes paraguayensis Bertoni, 1921
Polistes parametricus Buck, 2012
Polistes penai Richards, 1978
Polistes penthicus van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes penthicus ater Petersen, 1990
Polistes penthicus malaitensis van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes penthicus penthicus van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes perflavus van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes peruvianus Bequaert, 1934
Polistes philippinensis de Saussure, 1853
Polistes philippinensis funebris Bequaert, 1940
Polistes philippinensis philippinensis de Saussure, 1853
Polistes poeyi Lepeletier, 1836
Polistes poeyi haitiensis Bequaert and Salt, 1931
Polistes poeyi poeyi Lepeletier, 1836
Polistes praenotatus Kohl, 1908
Polistes pseudoculatus Snelling, 1955
Polistes quadricingulatus Gusenleitner, 2006
Polistes ridleyi Kirby, 1890
Polistes riekii Richards, 1978
Polistes riparius Yamane & Yamane, 1987
Polistes rossi Bohart, 1949
Polistes rothneyi Cameron, 1900
Polistes rothneyi carletoni van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi engeli van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi grahami van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi gressitti van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi hainanensis van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi helvenacus van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi ingrami van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi iwatai van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi koreanus van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi krombeini van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi quatei van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi robinsoni van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi rothneyi Cameron, 1900
Polistes rothneyi sikkimensis van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi tibetanus van der Vecht, 1968
Polistes rothneyi vechti Das and Gupta, 1984
Polistes rothneyi rothneyi Matsumura, 1911
Polistes rubellus Gusenleitner, 2006
Polistes rubiginosus Lepeletier, 1836
Polistes rufidens de Saussure, 1853
Polistes rufiventris Ducke, 1904
Polistes rufodorsalis Yamane & Kusigemati, 1985
Polistes sagittarius de Saussure, 1853
Polistes santoshae Das & Gupta, 1984
Polistes satan Bequaert, 1940
Polistes saussurei Dalla Torre, 1894
Polistes schach (Fabricius, 1781)
Polistes semenowi Morawitz, 1889
Polistes semiflavus Holmgren, 1868
Polistes sgarambus Giordani Soika, 1975
Polistes shirakii Sonan, 1943
Polistes sikorae de Saussure, 1900
Polistes similis Das & Gupta, 1984
Polistes simillimus Zikán, 1951
Polistes simulatus Smith, 1860
Polistes simulatus halmaheirensis Petersen, 1990
Polistes simulatus morotaiensis Petersen, 1990
Polistes simulatus obiensis Petersen, 1990
Polistes simulatus simulatus Smith, 1860
Polistes smithii de Saussure, 1853
Polistes smithii neavei von Schulthess, 1921
Polistes smithii smithii de Saussure, 1853
Polistes snelleni de Saussure, 1862
Polistes stabilinus Richards, 1978
Polistes stenopus van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes stenopus brandti van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes stenopus ganonganus van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes stenopus manni van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes stenopus stenopus van der Vecht, 1972
Polistes stigma (Fabricius, 1793)
Polistes stigma alagari Petersen, 1987
Polistes stigma bernardii Le Guillou, 1841
Polistes stigma dubius de Saussure, 1867
Polistes stigma galatheae Petersen, 1987
Polistes stigma goestai Petersen, 1987
Polistes stigma jani Petersen, 1987
Polistes stigma maculipennis de Saussure, 1853
Polistes stigma madsi Petersen, 1987
Polistes stigma manillensis de Saussure, 1853
Polistes stigma nebulosus Yamane & Kusigemati, 1985
Polistes stigma novarae de Saussure, 1867
Polistes stigma papuanus Schulz, 1905
Polistes stigma pouli Petersen, 1987
Polistes stigma sauiensis Petersen, 1987
Polistes stigma stigma (Fabricius, 1793)
Polistes stigma svendi Petersen, 1987
Polistes stigma tamulus (Fabricius, 1798)
Polistes stigma townsvillensis Giordani Soika, 1975
Polistes stigma tualensis Petersen, 1987
Polistes strigosus Bequaert, 1940
Polistes strigosus atratus Das and Gupta, 1989
Polistes strigosus mimus Bequaert, 1940
Polistes strigosus strigosus Bequaert, 1940
Polistes subsericeus de Saussure, 1854
Polistes takasagonus Sonan, 1943
Polistes tenebricosus Lepeletier, 1836
Polistes tenebris Nguyen & Lee 2017
Polistes tenellus du Buysson, 1905
Polistes tenellus lahejensis Giordani Soika, 1981
Polistes tenellus minutissimus Giordani Soika, 1981
Polistes tenellus tenellus du Buysson, 1905
Polistes tenuispunctia Kim, 2001
Polistes tepidus (Fabricius, 1775)
Polistes tepidus batjanensis Cameron, 1911
Polistes tepidus malayanus Cameron, 1906
Polistes tepidus manusensis Petersen, 1990
Polistes tepidus picteti de Saussure, 1853
Polistes tepidus speciosus du Buysson, 1913
Polistes tepidus tepidus (Fabricius, 1775)
Polistes tepidus theodori Petersen, 1990
Polistes testaceicolor Bequaert, 1937
Polistes thoracicus Fox, 1898
Polistes torresae Silveira, 1994
Polistes tristis Meade-Waldo, 1911
Polistes tullgreni Schulz, 1906
Polistes utakwae Meade-Waldo, 1916
Polistes variabilis (Fabricius, 1781)
Polistes veracrucis Richards, 1978
Polistes versicolor (Olivier, 1792)
Polistes versicolor flavoguttatus Bequaert, 1934
Polistes versicolor kaieteurensis Bequaert, 1934
Polistes versicolor versicolor (Olivier, 1792)
Polistes wattii Cameron, 1900
Polistes watutus Kojima, 1988
Polistes weyrauchorum Willink, 1964
Polistes williamsi Petersen, 1990
Polistes xanthogaster Bequaert, 1940
Polistes xanthogaster willei Bequaert, 1940
Polistes xanthogaster xanthogaster Bequaert, 1940
Polistes xantholeucus van der Vecht, 1984
Pest status
Along with the German and common wasps, the Asian and Australian paper wasps (P. chinensis and P. humilis) are considered pests in New Zealand. Arriving in 1979, the Asian paper wasp has established itself in both the North Island and the northern parts of the South Island. Because it competes with native species (such as the kaka) for insects, nectar, and honeydew, it is a hindrance to conservation efforts.
Parasites
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.
The nests of many species of this wasp genus are invaded by the parasitoid caterpillars of the moth Chalcoela iphitalis which feed on the wasp larvae and pupas at night, spinning their cocoons in empty cells.
Within the subgenus Polistes are four known social obligate parasites: P. atrimandibularis, P. austroccidentalis, P. maroccanus, and P. semenowi, which parasitize other Polistes wasps. Known host species of these parasites are P. dominulus, P. gallicus, P. nimphus, P. associus, and P. biglumis. Although these parasites differ in their host invasion strategies, their end goal is to successfully infiltrate the host nest and reproduce at the host's expense.
References
Further reading
External links
Paper wasp Polistes dominula reference photographs, descriptions, taxonomy
Paper wasp Polistes fuscatus diagnostic photographs, natural history
Polistes dominula facial markings indicating dominance
Insects used as insect pest control agents
Hymenoptera genera
Taxa named by Pierre André Latreille