Vespula germanica

German Wasp

Vespula germanica, German Wasp, is an advanced social wasp familiar around houses and gardens. They live in large colonies in nests made from paper. The paper is produced by the wasps from chewed wood mixed with saliva. The larvae are fed on insects. Adults, in late summer, are attracted to sugary foods. They are important pollinators. They are slightly larger than Vespula vulgaris and have different face markings.


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Vespula germanica, female face
Female face
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Vespula germanica, worker
Worker
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Vespula germanica, male
Male
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Vespula germanica, queen
Hibernating queen
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Vespula germanica, queen collecting wood
Queen collecting wood
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Vespula germanica, queen collecting wood
Queen collecting wood

Photograph detail


Slide 1: Vespula germanica, German Wasp. Face view of female. June.


Slide 2: Vespula germanica, German Wasp. Female worker on Fennel. Garden in Redmire. July.


Slide 3: Vespula germanica, German Wasp. Male in Ivy, Hedera helix. Church Lane, Redmire. October.


Slide 4: Vespula germanica, German Wasp. Queen starting hibernation in the roof of a bee hive. West Wood, Redmire. October.


Slide 5: Vespula germanica, German Wasp. Queen collecting wood for paper making. Garden in Redmire. May.


Slide 6: Vespula germanica, German Wasp. Queen collecting wood for paper making. Garden in Redmire. May.