Species Vespula vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758)
Type data:
Lectotype LS ♀ adult, Europa.Subsequent designation references:
Day, M.C. 1979. The species of Hymenoptera described by Linnaeus in the genera Sphex, Chrysis, Vespa, Apis and Mutilla. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society of London 12: 45-84 [77].- Vespa sexcincta Panzer, G.W.F. 1799. Faunae Insectorum Germaniae initia. oder Deutschlands Insecten. Vol. 6. Nürnberg 63 pp., pl. 2, fig. 1.
Type data:
Status unknown, Specimen destroyed Male, "Viennae Austr.". - Vespa mixta Edwards, R. 1980. Social Wasps : Their Biology and Control. East Grinstead : Rentokil Ltd. 398 pp. [nomen nudum].
- Vespula rufosignata Eck, 1998.
Type data:
Holotype NHM-UK Numbers not provided (Original description by Eck (1998) did not specify type depository and specimens could not be located. However, Carpenter (2009) states that a replacement type-series had since been designated.), Gulmarg, India.
Paratype(s) NHM-UK Numbers not provided, Gulmarg, Daksum, and Pahalgam; all in India. - Vespula vulgaris vetus Eck, R. 1999. Zur Populationsgliederung und Zoogeographie von Vespula vulgaris Faktoren der intraspezifschen Merkmalsänderungen (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Entomologische Abhandlungen. Staatliches Museum für Tierkunde Dresden 58(17): 309–342.
Type data:
Holotype SMTD Numbers not provided Female, Quinghai Province, Datong-Tal, 120 km NE Xinging, China. - Vespula yunlongensis Dong, D., He, Y., Wang, Y. & Wang, R. 2003. A new species of Vespula (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) from Yunnan China. Journal of Southwest Agricultural University 25(3): 212–213 [In Chinese].
Type data:
Holotype Numbers not provided Female, Yunnan, China.
Distribution
States
Tasmania, Victoria
Extra Distribution Information
Native to Europe, accidentally introduced into VIC (1958) and spreading slowly from Melbourne area in spite of attempted eradication, also introduced in Iceland, New Zealand, North America and Hawaii, found in Asia Minor and Palaearctic Asia.
IBRA
Tas, Vic: Australian Alps (AA), Ben Lomond (BEL), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP)
Ecological Descriptors
Adult: volant.
Larva: predator, sedentary.
Extra Ecological Information
Social, nests of 'paper'.
General References
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)
Archer, M.E. 1998. Worker versus sexual and sex ratio investments in the social wasp Vespula vulgaris (L.) (Hymenoptera: Vespinae) in England. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 7(2): 257-267 (biology 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)
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 [81] (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 [55] (male genital morphology)
Crawford, L.D. 1985. European and English Wasps. Department of Agriculture, Victoria. Agnote 2585/84 (Agdex 612). 4 pp. (biology, pest status, health risk and control in VIC)
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)
Gambino, P. 1986. Winter prey collection at a perennial colony of Paravespula vulgaris (L.) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Psyche (Cambridge) 93(3–4): 331-340 (winter prey species in California, USA)
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)
Kojima, J. 1998. Larvae of social wasps (Insecta: Hymenoptera; Vespidae). Natural History Bulletin of Ibaraki University 2: 7-227 [196] (larval description and illustrations)
Matthews, R.W., Goodisman, M.A.D., Austin, A.D. & Bashford, R. 2000. The introduced English wasp Vespula vulgaris (L.) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) newly recorded invading native forests in Tasmania. Australian Journal of Entomology 39: 177-179 (presence in TAS)
Richards, O.W. 1978. The Australian social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 61: 1-132 [6] (distribution and key to species)
Thomas, C.R., Moller, H., Plunkett, G.M. & Harris, R.J. 1990. The prevalence of introduced Vespula vulgaris wasps in a New Zealand beech forest community. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 13: 63-72 (abundance 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)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-Jul-2023 | VESPIDAE | 20-Jun-2023 | MODIFIED | |
| 07-Aug-2012 | 25-Jul-2012 | MODIFIED | ||
| 25-Jul-2012 | MODIFIED |