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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Vespoidea » Hornets, Yellowjackets; Paper, Potter, Mason, and Pollen Wasps; and Allies (Vespidae) » Paper Wasps (Polistinae) » Umbrella Paper Wasps (Polistes) » Subgenus Polistes (Polistes Subgenus Polistes) » European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula)
Photo#327737
Wasp nest. - Polistes dominula
Copyright © 2009 Kildale

Wasp nest. - Polistes dominula
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
September 1, 2009
I thought that this was a yellow Jackets nest but didn't see any nests like it in my search.. Do they biuld over these chambers? Information would be appreciated.
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Contributed by Kildale on 1 September, 2009 - 5:47pm
Last updated 26 September, 2009 - 9:28pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Charley Eiseman, 26 September, 2009 - 9:28pm login or register to post comments

Beneficial if not provoked
This species does not paper over the nest and the nests remain relatively small - I have some in my yard and through the years the nest has not been larger than 6 inches across. Most of them die off in fall/winter and they don't invade houses (well, not mine, at least).

They feed their young on chewed-up caterpillars and other soft-bodied insect prey, and don't have the nuisance factor of fruit-eating yellowjackets that buzz people's food and are likely to be stepped on. If the nest is high up enough that people can't get close to it (they will sting to defend the nest and it hurts!), I think it's worth it to let them be. If they are not provoked they're basically beneficial predators of insects that can be garden pests.
… Abigail Parker, 2 September, 2009 - 7:09am login or register to post comments

Polistes dominula
Guide. The mostly orange antennae ID this one.
… John Stanard, 1 September, 2009 - 6:15pm login or register to post comments

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