Species Mischocyttarus flavitarsis - Western Paper Wasp

Yellow-legged Paper Wasp - not recommended as this would apply equally to several of our species of Mischocyttarus and Polistes

Mischocyttarus flavitarsoides Zikán, 1949

Mischocyttarus flavitarsis kaibabensis Bequaert, 1933

Mischocyttarus flavitarsis idahoensis Bequaert, 1933

Mischocyttarus flavitarsis centralis Bequaert, 1933

Mischocyttarus flavitarsis flavitarsis (Saussure, 1854)

Orig. comb.: Polybia flavitarsis de Saussure, 1854

Mischocyttarus (Phi) flavitarsis (Saussure, 1854)

Head width 3.08 - 3.95 mm(1)

A primarily black-and-yellow species with additional ferruginous markings. This species can be separated from the similar M. navajo by the typically lighter yellow brown wings (in all but one form), occasionally ferruginous T1 (especially in 2 forms), and smaller size.(2) The markings are highly variable with geography and were formerly represented as 4 subspecies within our area but were found by Snelling (1983) to intergrade too much to represent true subspecies.(1)

central (s. UT & CO, east to TX), formerly M. f. centralis: wings yellow-brown, T1 ferruginous

western (CA north and east to OR & NE), formerly M. f. flavitarsis: wings yellow-brown, T1 typically black, T2 beyond almost entirely yellow

northwestern (OR & UT, north to AB & BC), formerly M. f. idahoensis: wings yellow-brown, T1 typically black, yellow abdominal markings restricted to discrete bands

iNaturalist photo

Grand Canyon (AZ), formerly M. f. kaibabensis: dark wings (like M. Navajo), body almost entirely ferruginous

western (Canada: AB, BC; United States: AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NB, NM, OR, TX, UT, WA); Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sonora); introduced to Hawaii

Mischocyttarus navajo is a larger species with darker wings and more restricted yellow markings on the thorax.

Polistes comanchus comanchus and Polistes comanchus navajoe have similar markings but are readily distinguished by the much shorter first abdominal segment.