Vespidae

E14506

Vespidae is a large family of wasps that includes many social and solitary species such as yellowjackets, hornets, and paper wasps, known for their often complex colony structures and sometimes painful stings.

Aliases (5)

Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf taxonomic family
wasp family
agriculturalImportance natural enemies of crop pests
some species considered pests around humans
antennae typically 12 segments in females
typically 13 segments in males
class Insecta
colonyStructure annual colonies in most temperate species
commonName vespid wasps
containsSubfamily Eumeninae
Euparagiinae
Masarinae
Polistinae
Stenogastrinae
Vespinae
Zethinae
describedBy Pierre André Latreille
dietAdult primarily nectar and other sugary substances
dietLarvae mostly animal prey provided by adults
distribution cosmopolitan
ecologicalRole pollinators
predators of other insects
hasSocialSpecies true
hasSolitarySpecies true
includes hornets
mason wasps
paper wasps
potter wasps
umbrella wasps
yellowjackets
kingdom Animalia
medicalSignificance can cause allergic reactions in humans
morphology chewing mouthparts
narrow waist between thorax and abdomen
two pairs of membranous wings
nestMaterial paper-like material from chewed plant fibers
order Hymenoptera
overwinteringStage fertilized queens in many species
phylum Arthropoda
reproductiveCastes males
queens
socialBehavior eusocial in many species
sting capable of painful sting
superfamily Vespoidea
typeGenus Vespa
venomFunction defense
subduing prey
workerCaste present in many social species


Please wait…