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| Vespinae, with the exception of hornets, belong to the colony building Paper wasps, another category of Vespidae which are often difficult to distinguish. Vespinae are larger than the other Vespidae, the body being broader which is the decisive criterion for differentiation.
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| Some examples of subfamilies of Vespidae are: Euparagiinae, pollen wasps (Masarinae), potter wasps (Eumenidae), paper wasps (Polistinae) and wasps (Vespinae). Approximately 5000 species of Vespidae exist worldwide and around 100 of these are found in Central Europe. | | |
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| The bodies of Vespidae are black and yellow in colour with different markings. Their wings are folded lengthwise in resting position. They have kidney-shaped compound eyes. Vespidae includes both colony forming and solitary wasps (potter wasps). | | |
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| Vespinae | | Vespinae are a subfamily of the family Vespidae. There are 61 species worldwide, 11 species of which can be found in Central Europe. Some examples of species found in Central Europe are: the hornet, Dolichovespula sylvestris, Dolichovespula omissa, Vespula rufa, the common wasp and the German wa... | | |
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| German wasp | | The German wasp (Vespula germanica) is of the family Vespidae and of the subfamily Vespinae. They are found in Europe, large parts of Asia and some areas in Africa. The German wasp is a colony building insect. | | |
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| Common wasp | | The common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) belongs to the genus wasps. It is a wasp from the family Vespidae and is one of the most widespread kinds of wasp in Western Europe. The common wasp is an annual and social insect. | | |
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| ... in one colony (in New Zealand for example). Labour in the colony is organised. The intensity of brood care is similar to that of bees. While the adult wasps are vegetarian - feeding on nectar from plants and other sugary juices the larvae of Vespidae are fed on the protein rich meat of other insects. | | |
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| ...ly comprises 3000 to 4000 animals. Even nests of 7000 wasps are not uncommon. The nests can have a circumference of 2 meters. The division of labour is organised in the colony. The intensity of the brood care is like that of the bees. The larvae of Vespidae are fed on the meat of insects. | | |
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| Median wasp | | The median wasp (Dolichovespula media) is a species in the family of Vespidae. It is widespread and common from Europe (southern Europe, mainly in the mountains) to East Asia. The queens reach body lengths of 18 - 22 mm, the workers 15 - 19 mm, and the drones 15 to 19 mm. | | |
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 | | Vespidae - Polistes dominulus - European paper wasp | | >> Picture |
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