CLYPEAL MARKINGS OF QUEENS, DRONES AND 
WORKERS OF VESPA VULGARIS. 
By OSWALD H. LATTER, M.A. 
Upon the front of the head of Vespa vulgaris certain yellow markings stand 
out conspicuously upon the otherwise black surface. Below the three ocelli 
and between the upper portions of the two compound eyes there is a median 
four-sided yellow patch, the "corona"; to the right and left of this, separated 
from it by a fairly wide interval, and occupying the bay of each of the compound 
eyes is a pair of elongated yellow blotches ; while straight below the corona and 
between the lower portions of the compound eyes is a very conspicuous yellow 
area which extends over the clypeus and down to the labrum or upper lip which 
lies, between the two mandibles. This clypeal patch of yellow bears upon it a 
black mark which is subject to considerable variation. I distinguish in the queens 
and workers five chief types of this black mark : see diagrams on p. 202. In 
Type I a broad vertical black band extends right through tlie yellow patch from 
the top to the bottom ; a little below its middle the band bears to right and left 
a pair of bluntly pointed and slightly upturned arms: the portion of the nredian 
band below these arms is somewhat narrower than that above. Type II is derived 
from I by suppression of the black portion below the transverse arms. In Type III 
the extent of the black colouring is yet further reduced by the absence of the 
upper half (or thereabouts) of the vertical band. In Type IV the lower part of 
the vertical band re-appears, but the width of all the components is very much 
less than in any of the preceding types. In Type V the component parts of the 
black marking cease to be in contact ; the upper portion of the vertical band 
is interrupted by a broad belt of yellow; the two "arms" are separated from the 
lower part of what remains and from one another ; while there is no black at 
all below these renmants of the "arms" — a feature recalling Types II and III. 
Types IV and V are however represented only by single individuals in the series 
examined. 
Between these main types certain intermediates occur. Thus some individuals 
have the black piece below the " arms " very narrow, approximating therefore 
