Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Vespula squamosa - Southern Yellowjacket


Vespidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of Puerto Rico, West Indies
By Carpenter J.M., Genaro J.A.
Insecta Mundi 0202: 1-35, 2011

The social wasps of California (Vespinae, Polistinae, Polybiinae)
By Bohart R.M., Bechtel R.C.
Bull. U.C. Insect Survey 4: 73-101, 1957

A generic key to the nests of hornets, yellowjackets, and paper wasps worldwide (Vespidae: Vespinae, Polistinae)
By John W. Wenzel
American Museum novitates, No. 3224, 1998

The Evolution of Social Wasps
By James H Hunt
This is an excellent review of various Genera of social wasps.

A readable copy of this book can be found here: http://books.google.com/books?id=bFMoSxCVSVIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=social+biology+of+wasps&hl=en&sa=X&ei=UpttUuC2BqWF2QXb-4CABA&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=social%20biology%20of%20wasps&f=false

A downloadable copy can be found at this link: http://www.academia.edu/4841577/Hunt_2007_The_evolution_of_social_wasps

Eyewitness Books: Insect
By Laurence Mound
DK Publishing Inc, 2007
This is a remarakable book featuring many color photos and valuble information on wasps and many other insects as well. It is primarily for a younger audience but it is a great read for anyone interested in insects.

Here is a link to a readable/downloadable copy: http://www.academia.edu/3861144/Eyewitness_books_Insect

Identification Atlas of the Vespidae (Hymenoptera, Aculeata) of the Northeastern Nearctic Region
By Matthias Buck, Stephen A. Marshall, and David K. B. Cheung
Biological Survey of Canada [Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification], 2008
The Atlas covers the northeastern part of the North American continent (south to Virginia, west to the Ontario/Manitoba border, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Kentucky). Ninety-two established and six adventitious species are covered by 13 keys from the subfamily to the species level. Keys are accompanied by 437 Figures (mostly high resolution colour photographs) illustrating all important diagnostic characters. Species pages include a set of standard images (636 colour photographs in total) showing lateral and dorsal aspects as well as male and female heads, complemented by images of live specimens where available (many provided by Bugguide contributors!). The variation, distribution and biology of every species is discussed. The work is accompanied by a glossary of scientific terms, and morphological structures are furthermore illustrated in a separate Morphology section. The Atlas is designed both for the amateur and the professional user. With 492 pages, 3 Tables and 1073 Figures (PDF version). An electronic paper published in the Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification No. 5 (19 February 2008). ISSN 1911-2173. Provided in HTML and PDF format. Available online (free access) at http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/ejournal.html.

Trap-nesting wasps and bees: life histories, nests, and associates
By Krombein K.V.
Smithsonian Press, Washington, DC. vi+570 pp., 1967

Wasps: Their Biology, Diversity, and Role as Beneficial Insects and Pollinators of Native Plants
By Heather N. Holm
Pollination Press LLC; First edition, 2021