Dolichovespula sylvestris

Tree Wasp

Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp. A social wasp, building colonies of several hundred female workers and a queen. Male wasps emerge in late summer. Usually found around woodland edge, hedgerow etc. Less likely than Vespula to enter houses. Nests built of paper made from chewed wood. Eggs laid by the queen in paper cells, where they live as larvae, until the cells are capped, then pupae. New adults bite their way out of the capped cells.


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Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp
Newly emerged worker
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Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp
Newly emerged worker
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Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp
Emerging worker
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Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp
Nest, showing pupae
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Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp
Nest
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Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp
Nest cut open
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Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp
Pupae and larvae

Photograph detail


Slide 1: Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp. Newly emerged female worker on nest paper. Nest recovered from an empty beehive. West Wood, Redmire. May.


Slide 2: Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp. Newly emerged female worker on nest paper. Nest recovered from an empty beehive. West Wood, Redmire. May.


Slide 3: Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp. Worker biting way out of paper cell. Nest recovered from an empty beehive. West Wood, Redmire. May.


Slide 4: Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp. Small nest showing pupal cells. Nest recovered from an empty beehive. West Wood, Redmire. May.


Slide 5: Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp. Small nest recovered from an empty beehive. Side view. West Wood, Redmire. May.


Slide 6: Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp. Small nest cut open showing pupal cells and larvae. Nest recovered from an empty beehive. West Wood, Redmire. May.


Slide 7: Dolichovespula sylvestris, Tree Wasp. Small nest cut open showing pupal cells and larvae. Nest recovered from an empty beehive. West Wood, Redmire. May.