Polistes bischoffi

Polistes bischoffi (Weyrauch, 1937)

Scientific name: Polistes bischoffi (Weyrauch, 1937)
Common name:
French name: Poliste de Bischoff
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Vespidae
Wingspan : 10-15 mm.
Biotope: Woodland edges, meadows.
Geographic area: Mediterranean region, Balkan mountain range. Extension to western Europe and to central Europe.
Observation period : From spring to autumn. Only mated females overwinter.

The Paper Wasps are characterized by their abdomen shape which is tapered at both ends.
The legs are lengthy and hang backwards during the flight.
The bright coloured body markings are variable.
Female Polistes bischoffi are characterized by black cheeks and by a black stripe across the yellow clypeus. The upper side of the antennae is blackish.
You can tell female Polistes dominulus apart by the orange yellow colour of the antennae tip. Female Polistes gallicus also show a pale colour on the upper side of the antennae.
Female Polistes nimpha have yellow cheeks. Polistes biglumis have an almost black face.
Male Polistes bischoffi have a yellow face.
In spring, after having hibernated, the foundress queen builds a nest made of a single layer of cells. These cells are made up of some kind of thin paper and are never covered with a cap.
The nest is always located outside of buildings and usually hooked to a bush.
Males appear in autumn and die before winter after mating with future queens.
Adults feed on sugar and nectar. They catch flies and caterpillars to feed the larvae.

Polistes bischoffi - Yvelines, France - 26 juillet 2009

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You can tell this female Polistes bischoffi apart with its black cheeks, the black stripe across the yellow clypeus and the blackish antennae.