Species Polistes annularis - Ringed Paper Wasp

Jack Spaniard Wasp (shared by several members of its subgenus)

Red Paper Wasp (typically the preferred name for P. carolina and P. rubiginosus)

Polistes annularis (Linnaeus 1763)

Fore wing: ♀♀ 18.5–23.5 mm, ♂♂ 17.5–19.5 mm(1)

Easily distinguished from other Polistes by the following combination of characters:

(1) Antenna with apical segments orange, strongly contrasting with dark middle segments

(2) Body with no or weakly developed yellow makings except for apical band on tergum 1 (no bands on terga 2-5)

(3) Male with face reddish brown, at most with narrow yellowish lines along inner eye margins

Similar species: P. metricus, P. parametricus and certain color forms of P. fuscatus and P. hirsuticornis have similar color patterns but have the antennae at most slightly paler apically. Polistes bahamensis and P. exclamans have more extensive yellow markings on head, meso-, and metasoma, i.e., at least tergum 2 is also yellow-banded (terga 2-5 in exclamans), mesopleuron with 1-2 yellow spots, head marked with yellow. Polistes major castaneicolor and Polistes canadensis have no yellow band on tergum 1 and occur only in the southwestern U.S. (P. annularis is restricted to the eastern half of the United States; ranges do not overlap).

Males of other Polistes have the face more or less yellow.