160 



WASPS 



[CH. V 



yellow spot in front, of 9 an d $ black. Sagittee of male 

 genital armature not hollowed out at apex, but simply 

 rounded. Nests underground. Very common. 

 3. Vespa germanica : colour of thorax, shape of face, and colour 

 of abdomen as in V. vulgaris, but lateral yellow stripe on 

 pronotum decidedly convex towards ventral surface. $ 

 slightly hairy. Antennae as in V. vulgaris. Sagittse of 

 male genital armature distinctly hollowed out at apex. 

 Nests underground or in thatch etc. Very common. 



These, our two commonest species, are very much alike. 

 There are certain differences other than those given above, 

 but they are not absolutely constant; the subjoined table 

 of comparison will assist in distinguishing the two. 



V. vulgaris 



V. germanica 



Longitudinal 

 yellow stripes 

 on side of 

 pronotum 



Yellow blotch 

 in concavity 

 of eyes 



Black marks 

 on clypeus 



Tibise 



Straight- and parallel- 

 sided 



Hollowed out 



Median black line often 

 dilated at lower end ; 

 sometimes interrupt- 

 ed or reduced to a 

 spot, but not flanked 

 by two other black 

 spots 



Often spotted with 

 black 



Enlarged ventrally 



Not hollowed out 



Median black line 

 flanked at lower end 

 by two black spots ; 

 the line often reduced 

 to a mere spot 



Usually entirely yellow 



4. Vespa austriaca : colour of thorax, shape of face and colour 

 of abdomen as in (2) and (3) ; scape of antenna yellow in 

 front in $ and $ : abdomen glossy, carrying thick black 

 hairs; tibiae with long projecting hairs. Rare: $ not 

 known. Genital armature of $ narrower, paler, and its sides 

 more parallel than in rufa. 



