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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#1131078
Vespula germanica? - Polistes dominula
Copyright © 2015 M Kuhlman

Vespula germanica? - Polistes dominula
near Florence, MT , Missoula County, Montana, USA
August 26, 2015
Size: about an inch?
These wasps are all over the Rocky Mtn Bee-plant (Cleome serrulata). Any idea what they are doing? Would they be after pollen?
Thank you for the ID help and any behavior information!
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Contributed by M Kuhlman on 31 August, 2015 - 2:33pm
Last updated 31 August, 2015 - 6:19pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… John S. Ascher, 31 August, 2015 - 6:19pm login or register to post comments

Polistes dominula
Males
… Ken Wolgemuth, 31 August, 2015 - 2:39pm login or register to post comments

 
thank you so much!!! :)
Using this image, how does one differentiate between Polistes and Vespula?
… M Kuhlman, 31 August, 2015 - 3:01pm login or register to post comments

 
Well...
If you want the technical differences, see this key. For one thing, Vespinae have longer hair than Polistinae.

My advice, however, would be just to look at lots of pics of both groups in BugGuide. Eventually, you'll be able to tell them apart at a glance.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 31 August, 2015 - 4:15pm login or register to post comments

Polistes dominula
*
… metrioptera, 31 August, 2015 - 2:38pm login or register to post comments

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