Vespidae 1007 



trees, especially birch, and is sometimes injurious to lilac. Generally selects 

 a hollow tree or an attic in which to nest. 



(Subgenus Vespula Thomson) 



V. Carolina L. Pelham Parkway; SI, Je 3, Ds; LI: Rockaway Beach, Sep 20, 

 Schott. An austral species, practically reaching its northern limit in N.J. 



V. maculifrons Buy. {communis Sauss.). Upper Ausable L. ; New Russia, Bdy; 

 Cranberry L., Drk ; Keene Val, Not; Ithaca, Clifton Sps. (CU) ; McLean, 

 Bdy (CU) ; Spencer (CU) ; Taughannock, Guerlac (Bdy) ; Shelving Rock 

 Mt., L. George, Leon; Oliverea ; W. Nyack; Yorktown, Ols; Hillburn, Schott; 

 Van Cort. Pk. ; LI : Rockaway Beach, Bay Shore, Ols ; Jamaica ; Flushing ; 

 Gardiners I.; Port Jefferson; Coram; Queens, Schott; Wading R. ; Riverhead. 

 An extremely common wasp, known as yellow-jacket. 



V . vidgaris L., V . germanica Fab., and V . occidentalis Cress, do not occur in 

 the eastern US. All specimens under those names in collections are V. 

 maculifrons. Bequaert writes : "I have found underground nests of both V . 

 communis and V . diabolica ; they are generally not at a great depth, and when 

 the cavity chosen is small, part of the nest eventually is more or less exposed ; 

 often it is merely covered above by dry leaves or dense grass. Of both species 

 I have seen nests in a hole of a dead tree stump." 



V. consobrina Sauss. New Russia, Bdy; Saranac L., Axton (M&H) ; Moose L. ; 

 Upper Ausable L. ; Keene Val., Not; South L. ; Lowville, Ds; Mt. Skylight; 

 McLean ; Shelving Rock, L. George, Leon ; Oliverea ; Debruce, Ds ; Ft. Mont- 

 gomery, Schott; Stony Pt. Nests under the ground (Beq). 



V. vidua Sauss. Cliff Mt., Essex Co; Ithaca (CU) ; New Baltimore; Ft. Mont- 

 gomery, Schott ; W. Nyack, Ds ; SI ; LI : Huntington, Wyandanch, Schott ; 

 Jamaica ; Bay Shore, Ols ; Central Pk. ; Merrick, Eng ; Coram, Ds ; Wading 

 R., Yaphank, Ds. Not a common species. 



(Subgenus DOLICHO VESPULA Rohwer) 



V. arctica (Roh.) (borealis Lewis). Keene Val., Not; Castile, EABradley; Ithaca, 

 Newfield; Oliverea; SI, Ds. Lives as an inquiline in the nest of V. diabolica. 



V. diabolica Sauss. Upper Ausable L. ; Keene Val., Not ; Manlius, SmHH ; N. Fair 

 Haven (CU) ; Geneva; Castile, EABradley; Conesus L., Ds; Ithaca; Mc- 

 Lean; Newfield; Norton's Landing, Cayuga L., SmHH; W. Danby (CU) ; 

 Oliverea; Ft. Montgomery, Schott; Nyack; Inwood, NYC, Schott; SI, Ds; 

 LI; Cold Sp. Harb. A very common species, known as yellozv- jacket. For 

 nesting habits, see under V . maculifrons. But diabolica also builds aerial nests 

 similar to those of V . maculata, often about the eaves of buildings. 



V. maculata L. Axton (M&H) ; New Russia, Bdy; Upper Ausable L. ; Keene Val, 

 Not; Ithaca; McLean; Otto; L. George; Oliverea; Yorktown Hgts., Ols; SI, 

 Ds; LI: Little Neck, Wyandanch, Schott; Hempstead, Ols; Flushing; Cold 

 Sp. Harb. ; Gardiners I. ; Jamaica ; Queens, Schott. Probably occurs at all 

 points in the State and is everywhere abundant. Builds strictly aerial nests 

 in trees, under porches, in barns, etc. (Beq). 



V. norwegica Fab. Mt. Marcy, 3000 ft.; Upper Ausable L. ; Keene Val., Diven; 

 Oliverea. Generally builds a nest similar to that of diabolica, but placed in low, 

 dense bushes, four to five inches above the ground (Beq). 



(Subgenus PSEUDOVESPA Schmiedeknecht) 

 V. austriaca Panz. SI, Hine. 



