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BugGuide Gathering
Smoky Mountains
University of Tennessee Biological Field Station
August 8-10, 2008
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Species Polistes dominula - European Paper Wasp

Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
No Taxon (Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps)
Superfamily Vespoidea
Family Vespidae (Yellowjackets, Paper Wasps, and Hornets; Potter, Mason and Pollen Wasps)
Subfamily Polistinae (Paper Wasps)
Genus Polistes
Species dominula (European Paper Wasp)
Other Common Names
Dominulus paper wasp
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Polistes dominulus
Explanation of Names
Female ruler, lady, mistress:
From Latin dominus- "lord, ruler, master" (related English words: dominion, domain, dominate) + the diminutive suffix -ul- which adds the meaning "little", and a feminine ending.

Until recently treated as an adjective describing the masculine noun "Polistes", but now is recognized as a feminine noun standing on its own. The first requires the masculine form dominulus, while the second keeps the original feminine form dominula.
Identification
no other species of Vespidae has mostly orange antennae
Range
occurs throughout Eurasia; continues to expand North American range which is currently (2006) known to include northeastern US, Florida, Ontario, British Columbia, Washington to California and east to Colorado
Food
Larvae are fed chewed-up pieces of caterpillars and other insects caught by adults. The adults, like other paper wasps, feed on nectar from flowers and other sugary liquids.
Internet References
first appearance in Colorado (Bob Hammon, Colorado State U.)
occurrence in Michigan (Zachary Huang, Michigan State U.)
first record in British Columbia and citation of first North American report by G.C. Eickwort in 1978 (Entomological Society of British Columbia)
arrival in Ontario (Guides-on-Demand, hopscotch.ca)
photo of live adults on nest (Alex Wild, New York)
account of spread across North America [but the "first report" date of 1981 near Boston is an error: G.C. Eickwort's report was published in 1978] (Chip Taylor, butterflywebsite.com)