Polistes major

Palisot de Beauvois, 1818

Horse Paper Wasp, avispa de caballo

Species Guides

Polistes major castaneicolor(Sonoran Red Paper Wasp)
Polistes major major(horse's wasp)

Polistes major is a Neotropical social paper wasp, one of the largest in its . It ranges from South America north into the southern United States. The species is known locally as 'avispa de caballo' (horse ) in the Dominican Republic. Five are recognized, with variation in coloration from yellow-striped forms to entirely reddish-brown individuals.

Paper Wasp (Polistes major) (6134653740) by Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth!. Used under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license.

Polistes canadensis (Vespidae) by Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Polistes major castaneicolor (11313503) by Katja Schulz. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Polistes major: //pəˈlɪstiːz ˈmeɪdʒər//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from other Polistes by its large size; only P. carnifex is larger. identification relies on color pattern: presence or absence of yellow markings. Distinguished from yellowjackets and hornets by slender petiole (' waist'), long legs that hang in , and exposed paper comb nest.

Images

Appearance

Large paper wasp, 17–22 mm in body length with wingspan up to 45 mm. Second largest Polistes after P. carnifex. Coloration varies by : P. m. major has reddish-brown ground color with broad yellow stripes; P. m. castaneicolor and P. m. weyrauchi are entirely reddish with no yellow markings.

Distribution

Neotropical region, from South America north into the southern United States. Most widespread P. m. major found on Hispaniola and in Central America.

Similar Taxa

Polistes carnifexOnly larger Polistes ; P. major is second largest
Yellowjackets (Vespula spp.)Similar black-yellow warning coloration in some , but yellowjackets have robust bodies, shorter legs, and enclosed paper nests

More Details

Subspecies

Five described: P. m. bonaccensis (1937), P. m. castaneicolor (1936), P. m. colombianus (1940), P. m. major (1818), and P. m. weyrauchi (1940)

Etymology

'avispa de caballo' (Spanish: 'horse ') used in Dominican Republic