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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 Fuscopolistes (Polistes Subgenus Fuscopolistes) » Golden Paper Wasp (Polistes aurifer)
Photo#221636
Wasp? - Polistes aurifer - female
Copyright © 2008 Carol Davis

Wasp? - Polistes aurifer - Female
Antelope Island, Davis County, Utah, USA
September 2, 2008
Size: 1 inch
Saw a few of these just hanging around on the leaves.

Images of this individual: tag all
Wasp? - Polistes aurifer - female Wasp? - Polistes aurifer - female
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Contributed by Carol Davis on 4 September, 2008 - 8:39am
Last updated 2 February, 2009 - 4:47pm

Thank you.
Thanks to both of you for your time and input. Since there's already one of these posted for Utah under September, I'll just frass these.
… Carol Davis, 4 September, 2008 - 12:19pm login or register to post comments

 
Please, don't frass!
This is one of the best images of females and I am using it in the overview of Polistes species on the info page. So, don't dream of frassing it!
As for how to tell the sex, in this species and a few other wasp species the males have hooked antennae; the female's are straigth and perhaps slightly shorter. A few more tips on sexing some insects.
… Beatriz Moisset, 2 February, 2009 - 4:56pm login or register to post comments

 
Okay.
I'm glad you can use the photos and I really appreciate the link you provided for sexing insects. I know absolutely nothing about it so that page helps A LOT! I need to do a lot more exploring on this site for that kind of information.
… Carol Davis, 2 February, 2009 - 5:17pm login or register to post comments

 
You're welcome...
... a learning lesson for me as well! Just wanted to mention that I spent a few enjoyable moments poking around your website. Loads of great photos, and I really appreciated how much commentary/info. you provide. A lot of wonderful nature photography sites are severely lacking in detailed captions and interesting species information.
… Harsi S. Parker, 4 September, 2008 - 12:41pm login or register to post comments

 
I appreciate that!
Thanks for your kind words and I'm glad you enjoyed my site. I have fun putting it up. I don't know a lot but I'm learning from Bugguide.
… Carol Davis, 4 September, 2008 - 1:47pm login or register to post comments

Polistes?
Definitely looks like a member of the Polistes genus (Paper Wasps) to me:

http://bugguide.net/node/view/572

However, I am brand new to this site, and I would definitely wait for someone with more experience to corroborate this answer.
… Harsi S. Parker, 4 September, 2008 - 10:27am login or register to post comments

 
right guess
A weathered "worker" female of Polistes aurifer.
… Richard Vernier, 4 September, 2008 - 10:49am login or register to post comments

 
How to tell gender?
I was going to guess P. aurifer, but didn't want to lead "birder14" astray if I was incorrect...

How is it that one can tell that this is a worker female?
… Harsi S. Parker, 4 September, 2008 - 11:05am login or register to post comments

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