Species Vespula germanica (Fabricius, 1793)
Type data:
Syntype(s) whereabouts unknown adult, Kiel (as Kiliae), Germany.
Distribution
States
Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
Extra Distribution Information
Native to Europe, accidentally introduced into Australia (NSW—1975, VIC—1977, TAS—1959, SA—1978, WA—1977), still spreading in NSW and VIC, eradication attempted and apparently successful in SA and WA, also introduced into New Zealand, North and South America, Iceland, Ascension Is. germanica.
IBRA
ACT, NSW, SA, Tas, Vic, WA: Australian Alps (AA), Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Ben Lomond (BEL), Carnarvon (CAR), Central Kimberley (CK), Coolgardie (COO), Central Ranges (CR), Dampierland (DL), Esperance Plains (ESP), Eyre Yorke Block (EYB), Flinders Lofty Block (FLB), Flinders (FLI), Gascoyne (GAS), Gawler (GAW), Gibson Desert (GD), Geraldton Sandplains (GS), Great Sandy Desert (GSD), Great Victoria Desert (GVD), Hampton (HAM), Jarrah Forest (JF), Kanmantoo (KAN), King (KIN), Little Sandy Desert (LSD), Mallee (MAL), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Murchison (MUR), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), Northern Kimberley (NK), NSW North Coast (NNC), Nullarbor (NUL), Ord Victoria Plain (OVP), Pilbara (PIL), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Tanami (TAN), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE), Victoria Bonaparte (VB), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP), Warren (WAR), Yalgoo (YAL)
Ecological Descriptors
Adult: volant.
Larva: predator, sedentary.
Extra Ecological Information
Social, nests of 'paper'.
General References
Akre, R.D., Ramsay, C., Grable, A., Baird, C. & Stanford, A. 1989. Additional range extension by the German Yellowjacket, Paravespula germanica (Fabricius), in North America (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Pan-Pacific Entomologist 65(1): 79-88 (distribution, biology in North America)
Anon. 1981. New and unusual insect records in Victoria. Report of the Victorian Plant Research Institute 10: 94-96 (discovery in VIC)
Archer, M.E. 1985. Population dynamics of the social wasps Vespula vulgaris and Vespula germanica in England. Journal of Animal Ecology 54: 473-485 (population dynamics in England)
Bashford, R. 2001. The spread and impact of the introduced vespine wasps Vespula germanica (F.) and Vespula vulgaris (L.) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Vespinae) in Tasmania. Australian Entomologist 28(1): 1-12 [Date published 4/May/2001] (distribution in TAS, environmental impact)
Brown, G.R. 1984. European wasp. Agfact AE. 31. 3 pp. (illustrations, life history, pest status in NSW)
Brown, W.V., Spradbery, J.P. & Lacey, M.J. 1991. Changes in the cuticular hydrocarbon composition during development of the social wasp, Vespula germanica (F.) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. B. Comparative Biochemistry 99(3): 553-562 (cuticular hydrocarbon composition of larvae, pupae and adults)
Carpenter, J.M. & Brown, G.R. 2022. Catalogue of the Australian social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Zootaxa 5214(4): 451–495
Carpenter, J.M. & Kojima, J. 1997. Checklist of the species in the subfamily Vespinae (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Natural History Bulletin of Ibaraki University 1: 51-92 [77] (extralimital distribution and extended synonymy)
Charnley, H.W. 1973. The value of the propodeal orifice and the phallic capsule in vespid taxonomy (Hymenoptera, Vespidae). Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences 26: 1-79 [51] (male genital morphology)
Crawford, L.D. 1985. European and English Wasps. Department of Agriculture, Victoria. Agnote 2585/84 (Agdex 612). 4 pp. (illustration, life history, pest status, health risk and control in VIC)
Crosland, M.W.J. 1991. The spread of the social wasp, Vespula germanica, in Australia. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 18: 375-388 (spread in VIC and Australia)
Davidson, S. 1986. The European wasp — here to stay? Ecos 50: 14-17 (general biology)
Donovan, B.J., Howie, A.M.E., Schroeder, N.C., Wallace, A.R. & Read, P.E.C. 1992. Comparative characteristics of nests of Vespula germanica (F.) and Vespula vulgaris (L.) (Hymenoptera: Vespinae) from Christchurch City, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 19: 61-71 (nest architecture and population dynamics in New Zealand)
Edwards, R. 1980. Social Wasps : Their Biology and Control. East Grinstead : Rentokil Ltd. 398 pp. (biology)
Gulliford, R.B. 1992. European wasps, serious pest or nuisance. Australasian Beekeeper 94: 23, 25 (pest status in TAS)
Harris, R.J. 1991. Diet of the wasps Vespula vulgaris and V. germanica in honeydew beech forest of the South Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 18: 159-169 (diet in New Zealand)
Harris, R.J., Thomas, C.D. & Moller, H. 1991. The influence of habitat use and foraging on the replacement of one introduced wasp species by another in New Zealand. Ecological Entomology 16: 441-448 (habitat use and resource competition in New Zealand)
Holloway, G. 1985. The sweet-tooth invader. European wasp spreads at alarming rate. Australian Natural History 21(9): 372-376 (spread in NSW)
Kojima, J. 1998. Larvae of social wasps (Insecta: Hymenoptera; Vespidae). Natural History Bulletin of Ibaraki University 2: 7-227 [195] (larval description and illustrations)
Levick, N.R., Winkel, K.D. & Smith, G. 1997. European wasps — an emerging hazard in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia 167(11–12): 650-651 (medical importance)
Madden, J.L. 1981. Factors influencing the abundance the European wasp (Paravespula germanica (F.)). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 20: 59-65 (biology)
Martin, A. 1995. The wasp and the spider. Victorian Naturalist 112(4): 177 (food prey)
Naumann, I.D. 1990. The aculeate wasps and bees (Hymenoptera) of Norfolk and Philip Islands. Australian Entomological Magazine 17(1): 17-28 [17] (eliminated from Norfolk Is.)
Pabst, M.A. & Kral, K. 1986. Cell junctions and other membrane specializations in the ocellus of the wasp, Paravespula germanica L. (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology 15(5–6): 331-342 (eye morphology)
Pawlikowski, T. 1986. Black marks on clypeus and first gastral tergite in workers of the wasp Vespula germanica (F.) from north Poland. [In Polish]. Przeglad Zoologiczny 30(2): 229-233 (morphology)
Richards, O.W. 1978. The Australian social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 61: 1-132 [4] (distribution, illustration and key to species)
Smithers, C.N. 1998. A species list and bibliography of the insects recorded from Norfolk Island. Technical Reports of the Australian Museum No. 13: 1-52 [44] (distribution)
Smithers, C.N. & Holloway, G.A. 1978. Establishment of Vespula germanica (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in New South Wales. Australian Entomological Magazine 5: 55-59 (biology in NSW)
Spradbery, J.P. 1973. The European social wasp, Paravespula germanica (F.) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Tasmania, Australia. Proceedings of the International Union for the Study of Social Insects 7: 375-380 2 figs (biology)
Spradbery, J.P. 1993. Queen brood reared in worker cells by the social wasp, Vespula germanica (F.) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Insectes Sociaux 40: 181-190 (biology)
Spradbery, J.P. & Maywald, G.F. 1992. The distribution of the European or German wasp, Vespula germanica (F.) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), in Australia: Past, present and future. Australian Journal of Zoology 40: 495-510 (distribution in Australia)
Thomas, C.R. 1960. The European wasp (Vespula germanica Fab.) in New Zealand. New Zealand Department of Science and Industrial Research. Information Series 27: 1-74 (biology in New Zealand)
Toft, R.J., Malham, J.P. & Beggs, J.R. 1999. Mortality and emergence pattern of overwintering cocoons of the wasp parasitoid Sphecophaga vesparum vesparum (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) in New Zealand. Environmental Entomology 28(1): 9-13 (biology of biological control agent in New Zealand)
White, B.R. 1983. Field day report. European wasps. Australasian Beekeeper 85: 17 (spread in NSW)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07-Aug-2012 | 25-Jul-2012 | MODIFIED | ||
| 25-Jul-2012 | MODIFIED |