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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps » Ants, Stinging Wasps, and Hornets (Vespoidea) » Yellowjackets, Paper Wasps, and Hornets; Potter, Mason and Pollen Wasps (Vespidae) » Paper Wasps (Polistinae) » Polistes » Polistes aurifer
Photo#337441
Unknown Wasp - Polistes aurifer
Copyright © 2004 Aaron Schusteff

Unknown Wasp - Polistes aurifer
Henderson Canyon Rd, Borrego Springs, San Diego County, California, USA
March 28, 2004
I don't know what this wasp is...looks similar to this Polistes. It seemed to be attracted to the piece of fresh wood here (which, if I recall correctly, was someones walking stick).
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Contributed by Aaron Schusteff on 27 September, 2009 - 2:20am
Last updated 9 October, 2009 - 2:45pm

Moved
Moved from Polistes. Specimens from extreme southern California are red and yellow, elsewhere in CA they are black and yellow.
… Matthias Buck, 9 October, 2009 - 2:45pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Ants, Stinging Wasps, and Hornets.
… Abigail M. Parker, 6 October, 2009 - 7:50pm login or register to post comments

Paper wasp
Paper wasp, probably Polistes aurifer, a variable species that lacks the parallel yellow lines on the thorax that similar species have.
… Eric R. Eaton, 27 September, 2009 - 1:54pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks Eric
This image of Polistes aurifer looks like a good match. But I see what you mean by variable...many of the other P. aurifer BugGuide posts have prominent black markings on the head, pronotum, and abdomen (for instance this one).
… Aaron Schusteff, 29 September, 2009 - 9:52pm login or register to post comments

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