In this image of a female Polistes wasp tending to a nest, a long, black petiole, by which the nest is attached to the branch, is quite apparent.

Paper wasps are 3/4 inch to 1 inch (2-2.5 cm)-long wasps that gather fibers from dried plant stems, which they mix with saliva, and use to construct water-resistant nests that appear to be made of gray or brown papery material. Paper wasps are also sometimes called umbrella wasps, due to the distinctive design of their nests.^[1] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1772x2360, 1037 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Paper wasp ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1772x2360, 1037 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Paper wasp ... Wasps of the cosmopolitan genus Polistes are the most familiar of the polistine wasps, and are the most common type of paper wasp. ... Look up petiole in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Mid-19th century tool for converting between different standards of the inch An inch is an Imperial and U.S. customary unit of length. ... A centimetre (American spelling centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of length that is equal to one hundredth of a metre, the current SI base unit of length. ... Suborder Symphyta Apocrita See text for families. ... Fiber or fibre[1] is a class of materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces, similar to lengths of thread. ... Saliva, often informally known as spit, is the moist, clear, and usually somewhat frothy substance produced in the mouths of some animals, including humans. ...

Paper wasps are members of the family Vespidae (which also includes yellowjackets and hornets), and belong to the subfamily Polistinae, but often colloquially includes members of the subfamilies Vespinae and Stenogastrinae, which also make nests out of paper. Twenty-two species of paper wasps have been identified in North America and approximately 700 species have been identified world-wide.^[1] Most paper wasps live in the western hemisphere tropics. Genera The vespids are a family of wasps, including all social wasps and some solitary wasps. ... For the vespid wasp, see Yellowjacket The Yellowjackets are an American smooth jazz quartet. ... This article is about the insect. ... Polistes wasp, common name- Paper wasp. ... Vespinae is a subfamily in the family Vespidae, order Hymenoptera. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... The geographical western hemisphere of Earth, highlighted in yellow. ...

The nests of most true paper wasps are characterised by having open combs with cells for brood rearing, and a petiole, or constricted stalk, that anchors the nest (see image at right).^[2] Paper wasps secrete a chemical which repels ants, which they spread around the base of the anchor to prevent the loss of eggs or brood. Look up petiole in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... In biology, offspring are the product of reproduction, a new organism produced by one or more parents. ...

Closeup of several slender, narrow-waisted paper wasps (the wings are folded back while at rest). Also note the cellulose fibers of paper nest. Body coloration varies with species.

Most social wasps of the family Vespidae make nests from paper; although some tropical wasp species, such as Liostenogaster flavolineata, use mud. A small group of eusocial crabronid wasps, of the genus Microstigmus (the only wasps outside the family Vespidae), also construct nests out of chewed plant fibers, though the nest consistency is quite different from those of true paper wasps, due to the absence of wood fibers, and the use of silk to bind the fibers.^[3] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1064x1064, 325 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Paper wasp ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1064x1064, 325 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Paper wasp ... Cellulose as polymer of β-D-glucose Cellulose in 3D Cellulose (C6H10O5)n is a long-chain polymeric polysaccharide carbohydrate, of beta-glucose [1][2]. It forms the primary structural component of green plants. ... Piece of A4 paper Paper is a thin material produced by the amalgamation of plant fibres, which are subsequently held together without extra binder, largely by hydrogen bonds and to a large degree by fiber entanglement. ... Suborder Symphyta Apocrita See text for families. ... In computer gaming, a MUD (Multi-User Dungeon or Domain or Dimension) is a multi-player computer game that combines elements of role-playing games, hack and slash style computer games and social chat rooms. ... 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 Many, see text Crabronidae (Latreille, 1802) is a family of wasps. ...

Unlike yellowjackets and hornets, which can be very defensive, paper wasps will generally only attack if the nest is threatened.^[1] Since their territoriality can lead to attacks on persons, and because their stings are quite painful and can produce a potentially fatal reaction in some individuals, nests in human-inhabited areas may present an unacceptable hazard.^[4] For the comic book characters, see Yellowjacket (comics). ... For the insect known colloquially in America as a hornet see Bald-faced hornet. ...

All wasps are beneficial in their natural habitat, and are critically important in natural biocontrol.^[2] Paper wasps feed on nectar, and other insects, including caterpillars, flies and beetle larvae, and they are often considered to be beneficial by gardeners.^[4] In some parts of Europe, hornets are a threatened species and are protected by law.
In Greek mythology, nectar and ambrosia are the food of the gods. ... The striking caterpillar of the Emperor Gum Moth A caterpillar is the larval form of a lepidopteran (a member of the insect order comprised of butterflies and moths). ... Fly can refer to any of the following things: A fly (plural flies) is any species of insect of the order Diptera. ... Suborders Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga See subgroups of the order Coleoptera Wikispecies has information related to: Coleoptera Beetles are the most diverse group of insects. ... Larvae are the plural of larva, juvenile form of animals with indirect development. ... World map showing Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Paper Wasp" Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2006.
2. ^ ^{a b} W.F. Lyon and G.S. Wegner (1991) Paper Wasps and Hornets Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet: Entomology
3. ^ R.W. Matthews, C.K. Starr Microstigmus comes Wasps have a Method of Nest Construction Unique Among Social Insects Biotropica, Vol. 16, No. 1 (Mar., 1984), pp. 55-58 doi:10.2307/2387895
4. ^ ^{a b} Drees, B.M. and John Jackman (1999) Field Guide to Texas Insects, Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas. Excerpt available at: Texas Cooperative extension

See also

• Biocontrol
• Schmidt Sting Pain Index
• Polistes

Closeup of a paper wasp and nest Biological control of pests and diseases Overview A key belief of the organic gardener is that diversity furthers health. ... Schmidt Sting Pain Index or The Justin O. Schmidt Pain Index was created by Justin O. Schmidt, an entomologist. ... Wasps of the cosmopolitan genus Polistes are the most familiar of the polistine wasps, and are the most common type of paper wasp. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1800x1655, 1712 KB) Polistes showing compound eye and wood fibers that make up its paper nesting material I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU...

A paper wasp (Ropalidia sp.) nest Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (935x768, 177 KB) Wasps, probably Ropalidia sp. ...

Native yellow paper wasps, Western Australia Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x1123, 386 KB) Native Yellow Paper Wasps in Western Australia. ... Emblems: Floral - Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos manglesii); Mammal - Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus); Bird - Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) Motto: none Slogan or Nickname: Wildflower State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Const. ...

Paper wasps attending to a nest. Larvae at two stages of development are visible in cells Image File history File links Paper wasp nest Image copyleft: Image taken by me, released under GFDL Peterg22 14:00, Jun 11, 2005 (BST) Paper Wasps attending to a nest. ... Larvae are the plural of larva, juvenile form of animals with indirect development. ...