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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) » Metric Paper Wasp (Polistes metricus)
Photo#239744
Paper Wasps - Polistes metricus - male - female
Copyright © 2008 Natalie McNear

Paper Wasps - Polistes metricus - Male Female
New Iberia, Iberia Parish, Louisiana, USA
October 15, 2007
Size: 2 cm
These wasps made a nest on the roof.
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Natalie McNear on 14 November, 2008 - 12:06am
Last updated 14 November, 2008 - 8:35am

Thanks for the comments
How do I tell which ones are the males? I noticed a couple of them have red faces instead of yellow - are those the males? Louisiana has some amazing insects... I don't live there but I do have lots of family in the heart of Cajun Country so I go down there pretty frequently.
… Natalie McNear, 16 November, 2008 - 11:06pm login or register to post comments

 
Light Faces
The ones with the white face are males
… Robert Lord Zimlich, 17 November, 2008 - 7:50am login or register to post comments

 
Ahh, thanks.
It looks like there are several males then. Do they not fight with each other over mating rights for this nest?
… Natalie McNear, 17 November, 2008 - 5:22pm login or register to post comments

 
Hippy Wasps
Polistes are social wasps but do not have a very strict social structure. I think of them more as hippies. After mating, the males generally leave and hang out together.
… Robert Lord Zimlich, 18 November, 2008 - 6:51am login or register to post comments

You Got Males
My males have been gone. You're not that far away from me. Louisiana must have some really strict "dead-beat dad" laws :)

… Robert Lord Zimlich, 14 November, 2008 - 8:59am login or register to post comments

Polistes metricus nest (LA)
A nest with both males and females.
… Matthias Buck, 14 November, 2008 - 8:36am login or register to post comments

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