Polistes - Polistes major

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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 Palisotius (Polistes Subgenus Palisotius) » Horse Paper Wasp (Polistes major) » Polistes major castaneicolor

Photo#1478277

Copyright © 2017 Salvador Vitanza

Polistes - Polistes major

Nogales, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, USA
December 21, 2017
Size: 22 mm

Coordinates: 31.336264, -110.966310
I am surprised to find a 19 cm paper wasp nest with active brood at this time of the year. There have been several nights with freezing weather. Tonight, the predicted lowest temperature is 24 F. This nest was built directly below a light and that might be the key to the survival of the colony so far. There were many more wasps than the ones shown in the photo, but they were out of view on top of the nest. The wasps were lethargic, even at 1:00 PM, and it was relatively easy to capture one without getting attacked. In a large version of this photo you can observe small and large larvae.

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Contributed by Salvador Vitanza on 21 December, 2017 - 8:57pm
Last updated 22 December, 2017 - 3:20pm

Polistes major castaneicolor

Great to have some close ups of this species, as well! Note the wide first abdominal segment and smooth (rather than pitted) mesopleuron.

… Matthias Buck, 22 December, 2017 - 9:05am

Excellent!

I noted some differences with P. canadensis, but my mind was made up before I even captured this wasp... :-)
After you pointed out these features, they seem so obvious by comparing the close ups of P. canadensis and P. major
Thank you Matthias!

… Salvador Vitanza, 22 December, 2017 - 9:29am

Moved

Moved from Paper Wasps.

… Matthias Buck, 22 December, 2017 - 9:03am

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