Polistinae
Polistes sp with nest
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Suborder:	Apocrita
Superfamily:	Vespoidea
Family:	Vespidae
Subfamily:	Polistinae
Tribes
Polistini Mischocyttarini Ropalidiini Epiponini

The Polistinae are eusocial wasps closely related to the more familiar yellowjackets, but placed in their own subfamily, containing four tribes; with some 1100 species total, it is the second most diverse subfamily within Vespidae, and while most species are tropical or subtropical, they include some of the most frequently-encountered large wasps in temperate regions. They are also known as paper wasps, which is a misleading term since other wasps (including yellowjackets) also build nests out of paper, and because some Epiponine wasps (e.g., Polybia emaciata) build theirs out of mud [1], nonetheless, the name paper wasp seems to apply mostly, but not exclusively, to the Polistinae, especially the Polistini. The brood cells are arranged in a hexagonal array, similar to the comb structure in a honey bee nest. At least one Epiponine species (Brachygastra mellifica) stores honey in the comb, one of the only insects other than bees to store honey.

Characteristics of Polistinae are:

• queens (reproductive females) morphologically similar to workers, though sometimes slightly larger or differently colored
• the abdomen is spindle-shaped, often petiolate
• the antennae of males are curled
• the nest is sometimes open (the nests of vespines are typically enclosed in several layers of paper)

[edit] Colony life cycle

Polistine wasps found colonies in one of two ways. In some species, nests are founded by a small number of reproductive females, possibly a single one. One of the foundresses eventually acquires dominance over the other and is the sole reproducer. The nest is open (not enclosed by an envelope) and contains a single comb.

In the other group, called swarm-founding, the nest is founded by a large number of workers and a few queens. It is usually protected by an envelope, like a vespine nest.

[edit] Selected species of Polistinae

Tribe Polistini

• Genus Polistes
  • P. annularis - Jack spaniard wasp
  • P. bellicosus
  • P. biglumis
  • P. bischoffi
  • P. carolinus - Red paper wasp
  • P. chinensis - Chinese paper wasp
  • P. dominula - European paper wasp
  • P. fuscatus - Northern paper wasp
  • P. humilis - Common paper wasp
  • P. tepidus

Tribe Mischocyttarini

• Genus Mischocyttarus
  • M. collarellus
  • M. flavitarsis
  • M. labiatus

Tribe Epiponini

• Genus Brachygastra
  • B. mellifica

• Genus Polybia
  • P. emaciata
  • P. occidentalis
  • P. scutellaris

Tribe Ropalidiini

• Genus Ropalidia
  • R. marginata
  • R. revolutionalis

[edit] External links

• Social Behavior of Polistine Wasps
• Article on Australian Paper Wasps
• Nest defence behavior in two species of Polybia
• Ropalidia marginata a primitive eusocial wasp
• Iconography of the Vespidae of the World

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