Paper Wasp, Episode 43, Season 2

Brody had to be very careful with the insect highlighted in episode 43 of Backyard Bugs with Brody. In this episode Brody features a paper wasp (Polistes). There are about 24 species of found in the United States and Canada. It can be very difficult to tell the species apart. After some research, Brody thinks the wasp he caught was a metric paper wasp or metricus paper wasp (Polistes metricus) or a Northern Paper Wasp (Polistes fuscatus).

Paper wasps are the most familiar of the social wasps found in Missouri. These wasps get their name from the tan, papery nests. The material is made when female wasps chew small bits of wood and mix it with saliva. The blend is then used to make a single layer or hexagonal cells, which are placed side-by-side and suspended from a stalk. Nests are typically found on the sides of man-made structures or in trees and bushes.

Paper wasps come in a wide variety of colors. Most are primarily black or brown, with rusty or yellowish markings. The wasps are easily identified by their unique, narrow body shapes. It almost appears as if their abdomens are barely attached. Their wings are also very narrow, and they fly with their legs dangling below their bodies.

Paper Wasps live in a colony made up of primarily all females. Studies have found that paper wasps can recognize individuals in their colony by looking at their face.

Nests are begun from scratch each spring and are rarely reused. The colony is started by one of a few females that overwinter. However, only one egg-laying queen is typically present. The rest of the wasps in the colony are either worker wasps who take care of the nest and protect it, or forager wasps who seek out food for the larva and colony. You can tell how long a forager paper wasp will be gone from the nest by observing how it leaves. For short flights, the forager wasps exit the nest horizontally. For long flights, they exit the nest vertically.

In spring to early-summer, worker females are predominantly hatched in the nest. Males and new queens are not produced until mid- to late-summer. Larva is fed caterpillars, while the adults drink nectar from flowers or juice from fruits. This makes them a vital component to the ecosystem, serving as pollinators as well as controlling insect populations.

Paper wasps are also prey to many birds, mammals, reptiles, and other insects. They have stingers as a form of defense. Worker wasps can be aggressive, particularly if they feel like their nest is under attack. While foraging wasps are usually not aggressive.

In late fall, all the wasps in a nest die in the first frost, except for a single fertilized queen. The queens take shelter inside building walls, trees, or other areas where they can stay warm. In April, the queen emerges from her hiding spot and begins building a new nest and the cycle repeats.

If you are new to the channel, Brody is fascinated by bugs and animals. At first, he would watch wildlife documentaries and YouTube videos. Then he started going outside and exploring to see what he could find. It didn't take long before he started finding some interesting creatures in our own backyard. He loved sharing his discoveries with his brother, sister, and friends so much that we started this channel. This way he can show them videos and not just describe the bug or animal. Brody does all his own research, with some help from his parents, as well as his uncle and aunt who are biologist. He looks up facts on the animals and bugs he catches and shares them. Despite his confidence, Brody is not a bug expert. (Although he thinks he is.) All comments from Brody should be taken as opinion until confirmed by experts.