Umbrella Wasps
Polistes spp.
Appearance
- 15 mm long.
- Brown with thin yellow markings.
Lifecycle
- When the first brood is produced, the queen remains in the nest while the rest of the colony seek food to feed them.
- New males and females emerge from the nest for mating.
- Females who have mated will overwinter, the others will die off.
- In the spring, the female who lays more eggs than the others will become Queen.
Habits
- The nests look like inverted umbrellas and are found under eaves and in old buildings.
- The preferred food for the foraging umbrella wasps is caterpillars and other insects.
- These wasps are more docile than other paper wasps.