page_title: Polistes apachus
section_title: Interaction with other species
hierarchical_section_title: Polistes apachus / Ecology / Interaction with other species
caption_attribution_description: English: Blepharepium sonorensis, a robber fly that closely resembles Polistes paper wasp species such as P. apachus
context_page_description: Polistes apachus is a social wasp native to western North America. It is known in English by the common name Texas paper wasp, or southwestern Texas paper wasp. It has also been called the Apache wasp, perhaps first by Simmons et al. in California in 1948. Simmons et al. reported how in California P. apachus is often found in fig orchards where it is considered a pest species due to its aggressive attacks and painful stings on farm labourers during harvest time in September and October. It may sometimes also be found in other types of orchards or in vineyards, but in California it is also commonly found to establish nests in or on houses in urban areas in attics or under the eaves of buildings. It is a type of paper wasp, which is the common name for a type of wasp that uses a papery material to construct its nests.
context_section_description: In the wild they build their nests hanging from a branch near the tops of shrubs or small trees, for example Baccharis sp. in New Mexico or Juniperus sp. in Colorado. The adults may be seen drinking nectar from a wide variety of flowering species. 
  Many species of Polistes prey on caterpillars, which they do not eat themselves, but macerate to serve as a protein-rich juice for their larvae.
  A species which may possibly prey on P. apachus is the robber fly Proctacanthus hinei.
caption: This robber fly, Blepharepium sonorensis, photographed in a Nature Area in Socorro County, New Mexico, is a possible Batesian mimic of Polistes apachus
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