Paper wasp
| Paper wasp | |
|---|---|
| A young paper wasp queen (Polistes gallicus) starting a new colony | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Superfamily: | Vespoidea |
| Family: | Vespidae |
| Subfamilies with paper wasp species | |
Paper wasps are a type of social vespid wasps. The term is typically used to refer to members of the vespid subfamily Polistinae, though it often colloquially includes members of the subfamilies Vespinae (hornets and yellowjackets) and Stenogastrinae, which also make nests out of paper.
Paper wasp nests are characterized by open combs with down pointing cells. Some types of paper wasps are occasionally referred to as umbrella wasps due to the distinctive design of their nests.