Family Vespidae - Yellowjackets and Hornets, Paper Wasps; Potter, Mason and Pollen Wasps

Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals) Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) Class Insecta (Insects) Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies) No Taxon (Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps) Superfamily Vespoidea (Yellowjackets and Hornets, Paper Wasps; Potter, Mason and Pollen Wasps and allies) Family Vespidae (Yellowjackets and Hornets, Paper Wasps; Potter, Mason and Pollen Wasps)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Polybiinae recently merged with Polistinae, with some of the tribes rearranged

Explanation of Names Vespidae Latreille 1802

Numbers 1) 2) ~300 spp. in 35 genera in our area; ~5,000 spp. in ~270 genera total

Identification

Legs of normal length, not as long as in Pompilidae Wings folded longitudinally at rest; first discoidal cell of FW greater than half the wing length



Inner margin of eye usually notched

Pronotum extending back to the tegulae and thus appearing triangular in lateral view and horseshoe-shaped from above 3) 4) Keys to northeastern spp. in, to CA spp. in

Range worldwide

Food Nests are usually stocked with caterpillars

Life Cycle Polistinae and Vespinae are all eusocial species; Eumeninae, Euparagiinae, and Masarinae are solitary; Stenogastrinae contains solitary and social species