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Sometimes referred to as the European paper wasp, is one of the more common and
well-known species of social wasps in Europe.
Nests are begun by overwintered foundresses, who spend about a month in the
spring constructing a nest and provisioning offspring, the first of which will
become daughter workers in the growing colony. Males are produced later, and
when they start to appear, a few daughters may mate and leave their nest, to
become foundresses the next season. The switch from production of workers to
production of future foundresses ("gynes") is not utterly abrupt, therefore,
as has been considered the case for other species of Polistes. |
