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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 » Vespidae » Paper Wasps (Polistinae) » Umbrella Paper Wasps (Polistes) » Subgenus Fuscopolistes (Polistes Subgenus Fuscopolistes) » Yellow Paper Wasp (Polistes flavus)
Photo#1132550
Polistes - Polistes flavus - male
Copyright © 2015 Salvador Vitanza

Polistes - Polistes flavus - Male
El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, USA
September 2, 2015
This wasp is a slow flyer. I saw 5 individuals "patrolling" a trail in the Franklin Mountains in the evening (6:15 PM). They were not in a group, but widely separated (approximately 20 meters apart). They rested on rocks and flew away when I approached them. It resembles another local paper wasp which I believe to be P. texanus, but its appearance, size (larger and heavier), flight, and behavior makes it quite distinct.

Images of this individual: tag all
Polistes - Polistes flavus - male Polistes - Polistes flavus - male Polistes - Polistes flavus - male Polistes - Polistes flavus - male
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Contributed by Salvador Vitanza on 2 September, 2015 - 10:52pm
Last updated 19 November, 2015 - 1:13pm

Male!
:)
… Bob Biagi, 19 November, 2015 - 12:43pm login or register to post comments

 
Thank you Bob!
You're really good at this!
… Salvador Vitanza, 19 November, 2015 - 1:01pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Polistes.
… Matthias Buck, 14 November, 2015 - 7:58pm login or register to post comments

 
Wonderful!
I am glad to finally have a species name for this paper wasp. I couldn't go beyond Polistes. Thank you Matthias and John for your kind help and expertise.
… Salvador Vitanza, 14 November, 2015 - 8:43pm login or register to post comments

 
Polistes
Congratulations, you have covered most of the red and yellow Polistes species that occur in your area: flavus, apachus and aurifer. I have not seen texanus from that far west. It is common in central Texas and north into Oklahoma.
… Matthias Buck, 14 November, 2015 - 9:09pm login or register to post comments

 
hahaha
Did you forget to mention P. exclamans or is it not among the red and yellow? This summer, I was taking photos of every arthropod I could find. I am allergic to wasp and bee venom and was taking my chances by approaching them too closely. Thank you Matthias!
… Salvador Vitanza, 14 November, 2015 - 9:15pm login or register to post comments

 
Polistes exclamans
P. exclamans usually has black as well beside red and yellow but some individuals have almost no black. In fact, you have found most Polistes in your area.
… Matthias Buck, 15 November, 2015 - 9:41am login or register to post comments

 
One more photo
Matthias: Since you are a wasp expert who liked my wasp photos, I am attaching here my favorite shot of Polistes flavus. This wasp was a bit combative and I had to push it away using my camera when it came directly to my face.
… Salvador Vitanza, 15 November, 2015 - 4:58pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… John S. Ascher, 3 September, 2015 - 4:22am login or register to post comments

 
Thank you John!
I value your kind help.
… Salvador Vitanza, 3 September, 2015 - 6:37am login or register to post comments

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