One off Yellow Jacket - Polistes dominula

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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 Polistes (Polistes Subgenus Polistes) » European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula)

Photo#2080684

Copyright © 2022 Bob OBrien

One off Yellow Jacket - Polistes dominula

Carver, Clackamas County, Oregon, USA
August 29, 2021

I've gone around in circles on this one. Yellow legs, antennae, mostly yellow face. Doesn't appear to have correct face for Paper Wasp. Not associated with anything in particular. Just sitting on a leaf so I was able to get different vantage points of the face, abdomen and thorax. I'll spare the ruminations I've gone through and hope for the best. Hopefully not too obvious an ID but am very interested in any sort of an ID, as I'm hoping to get much more familiar with vespula. Still haven't scratched the surface. P.S. Interesting how the eyes appear 'glazed over' in some photos. Do bugs get cataracts? (just kidding).

Images of this individual: tag all

One off Yellow Jacket - Polistes dominula

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Contributed by Bob OBrien on 16 January, 2022 - 1:35am
Last updated 14 October, 2023 - 12:28pm

Moved

Moved from Frass.

Unlinked from reference photo as it isn't the same specimen. The remaining photos that are yours really aren't going to be useful for the guide but are identifiable. They also represent a male whereas the reference photo is a female. This is a large part of why the two specimens differ. These would really be recommended for frass.

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… Jonathan Hoskins, 17 April, 2023 - 4:03pm

Frassed

Moved from European Paper Wasp.

… Jonathan Hoskins, 17 April, 2023 - 4:01pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… John Stanard, 16 January, 2022 - 6:36am

[thumb:1479518]

Polistes dominula

… Bill Dean, 16 January, 2022 - 5:32am

I'm not surprised

I was afraid of that. Polistes dominula was the first species I considered but found a large difference in the facial coloration as with other details.. I've uploaded a comparison photo to show what I mean. If this approach is not allowed, I'll later delete this photo or cite is with a thumbed image if that would be preferable. Are these facial differences normal variability? Different sexes? Or? Thanks for any advice.
P.S. Note other significant differences in the thorax yellow markings; as well as more orangish than yellow on many of the leg segments.

… Bob OBrien, 17 January, 2022 - 11:26pm

Facial Markings

Study.

… John Stanard, 18 January, 2022 - 6:16am

Wow, I'll say.

Very impressive. I certainly haven't studied it yet but I did take a look. Definitely worth study. Thanks.

… Bob OBrien, 18 January, 2022 - 8:49am

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