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Common wasp
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera Suborder: Apocrita Family: Vespidae Genus: Vespula Subgenus: (Paravespula) Species: V. vulgaris
Binomial name
Vespula vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758)

The common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) is a wasp found in much of the Northern Hemisphere, and introduced to Australia and New Zealand. It is a eusocial vespid, which builds its grey paper nest underground, often using an abandoned mammal hole as a start for the site, which is then enlarged by the workers. The foundress queen may also select a hollow tree, wall cavity, or rock crevice for a nest site. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (715x635, 27 KB) A photo of a flying Vespula vulgaris. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Subphyla and Classes Subphylum Trilobitomorpha Trilobita - trilobites (extinct) Subphylum Chelicerata Arachnida - spiders,scorpions, etc. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... Suborders Apocrita Symphyta Hymenoptera is one of the larger orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. ... Superfamilies Apoidea Ceraphronoidea Chalcidoidea Chrysidoidea Cynipoidea Evanioidea Ichneumonoidea Megalyroidea Proctotrupoidea Sphecoidea Stephanoidea Triganalyoidea Vespoidea Many families, see article Apocrita is a suborder of insects in the order Hymenoptera. ... Genera The vespids are a family of wasps, including all social wasps and some solitary wasps. ... Yellowjackets are black-and-yellow wasps of the genus Vespula or Dolichovespula. ... Paravespula is a small subgenus of yellowjacket wasps, including two of the best-known wasp species in the world; the German wasp, Vespula germanica, and the common wasp, Vespula vulgaris. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Carl Linnaeus, Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 23, 1707[1] – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[2] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... For other uses, see Wasp (disambiguation). ... Eusociality is the phenomenon of reproductive specialisation found in some species of animal, whereby a specialised caste carries out reproduction in a colony of non-reproductive animals. ... Genera The vespids are a family of wasps, including all social wasps and some solitary wasps. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the production of milk in female mammary glands and by the presence of: hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in... A queen is the only female insect in a hive that is fertile and egg laying; for example, a queen bee, wasp, hornet, ant, or termite. ...

Identification

The common wasp is 17-20 mm long, and has typical wasp colours of black and yellow. It is very similar to the German wasp, but seen head on, its face lacks the three black dots characteristic of that species. It can also be distinguished by a lack of black dots on its back; these are located further up and form part of the black rings on each of the abdomen's six segments. The Ash Borer (a moth) mimics the common wasp's aposematic colouration. Binomial name (Fabricius, 1793) The three dots on the German wasps face The German wasp, or European wasp, Vespula germanica, is a wasp found in much of the Northern Hemisphere, native to Europe, northern Africa, and temperate Asia. ... Binomial name Podosesia syringae Harris, 1839 The Ash Borer (Podosesia syringae), aka Lilac Borer, is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae. ... A mimic is any species that has evolved to appear similar to another successful species in order to dupe predators into avoiding the mimic, or dupe prey into approaching the mimic. ... The bright colours of this Yellow-winged Darter dragonfly serve as a warning to predators of its noxious taste. ...

Wasps are colloquially known as "jaspers" in south-west England and the English Midlands, although it is not clear whether the etymology refers to the Latin name "vespa" or the striped abdomen, which echoes the striped mineral jasper. For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Polished jasper pebble, one inch (2. ...

Nest and life cycle

Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris), Queen returning to nest

The nest is made from chewed wood fibres, mixed with saliva. It has open cells and a petiole attaching the nest to the substrate. The wasps produce a chemical which repels ants and secrete it around the base of this petiole in order to avoid ant predation. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 373 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (436 × 700 pixel, file size: 159 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)( == Licensing == I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 373 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (436 × 700 pixel, file size: 159 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)( == Licensing == I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) The common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) is a wasp found in much of the Northern Hemisphere, and introduced to Australia and New Zealand. ... For other uses, see Ant (disambiguation). ...

A solitary female queen starts the nest, building 20-30 cells before initial egg-laying. This phase begins in spring, depending on climatic conditions. She fashions a petiole and produce a single cell at the end of it. Six further cells are then added around this to produce the characteristic hexagonal shape of the nest cells. The spherical nest is built up from layers of cells.

Once the larvae have hatched as workers, they take up most of the colony’s foraging, brood care and nest maintenance. A finished nest may contain 5,000–10,000 individuals.

Each wasp colony includes one queen and a number of sterile workers. Colonies usually last only one year, all but the queen dying at the onset of winter. However, in the mild climate of New Zealand and Australia, a few of the colonies survive the winter, although this is much more common with the German wasp. New queens and males (drones) are produced towards the end of the summer, and after mating, the queen overwinters in a hole or other sheltered location, sometimes indoors. This is a biological article: For a territory administered by another territory see: Colony For a group attempting to affiliate with a Fraternity or Sorority see: Colony (fraternity) In biology, a colony (from Latin colonia) refers to several individual organisms of the same species living closely together, usually for mutual... A queen is the only female insect in a hive that is fertile and egg laying; for example, a queen bee, wasp, hornet, ant, or termite. ... Binomial name (Fabricius, 1793) The three dots on the German wasps face The German wasp, or European wasp, Vespula germanica, is a wasp found in much of the Northern Hemisphere, native to Europe, northern Africa, and temperate Asia. ...

Wasp nests are not reused from one year to the next, so the presence of old nests in a house or elsewhere is no evidence of a current infestation.

Diet and predators

Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) feeding on a berry.

This common and widespread wasp collects insects including caterpillars to feed to its larvae, and is therefore generally beneficial to humans. The adults feed on nectar and sweet fruit. Common wasps will also attempt to invade honey bee nests to steal their honey; the bees attempt to defend their nest by stinging the wasp to death. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) The common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) is a wasp found in much of the Northern Hemisphere, and introduced to Australia and New Zealand. ... Several types of berries from the market. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... This article is about a form of an insect. ... In Greek mythology, nectar and ambrosia are the food of the gods. ... The honeybee is a colonial insect that is often maintained, fed, and transported by farmers. ...

Common wasp nests are subject to predation by the Honey Buzzard, which excavates them to obtain the larva. As the wasps have a tendency to build nests near houses, they are not necessarily defensive of their hive and can still be aproached and watched without immediate attack. They are often misunderstood and are exterminated through pest control by humans. The Hoverfly Volucella pellucens and some of its relatives lay their eggs in a wasp nest and their larvae feed on the wasps’ young and dead adults. Spiders are yet another predator of the species. Binomial name Pernis apivorus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles and harriers. ... Genera many genera about 5,000 species The flower flies or hoverflies are a family of flies (Diptera), scientifically termed Syrphidae. ... Binomial name Volucella pellucens (Linnaeus, 1758) Volucella pellucens is a hover-fly. ... Diversity 111 families, 40,000 species Suborders Mesothelae Mygalomorphae Araneomorphae  See table of families Wikispecies has information related to: Spiders Spiders are predatory invertebrate animals that have two body segments, eight legs, no chewing mouth parts and no wings. ...

Pest status

Along with the German wasp and two species of Polistes, the common wasp, as it is an Invasive species, is considered a pest species in New Zealand as it competes with endemic species for food, such as insects and honeydew. Wasps of the cosmopolitan genus Polistes are the most familiar of the polistine wasps, and are the most common type of paper wasp. ... Lantana invasion of abandoned citrus plantation; Moshav Sdey Hemed, Israel The term invasive species refers to a subset of introduced species or non-indigenous species that are rapidly expanding outside of their native range. ... Endemic, in a broad sense, can mean belonging or native to, characteristic of, or prevalent in a particular geography, race, field, area, or environment; Native to an area or scope. ...

Links

• [1] nest building photographic series by Charlie Bettell