Europe, North Africa and western Asia, with introduced populations on several other continents
Fine-art photographic collection
Polistes dominula
A paper wasp society governed by dominance, chemical identity cards and facial status signals.
About this species
Polistes dominula(Christ, 1791)
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Polistes dominula builds exposed paper combs from chewed plant fibres. Colonies may begin with one or several foundresses, after which dominance determines which female lays most eggs and which individuals forage.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Hymenoptera · Vespidae · Polistes
Accepted taxon. · checked 2026-07-15
Europe, North Africa and western Asia, with introduced populations on several other continentsBroad range and selected reference localities — not a complete occurrence map.
Warm open habitats, gardens, farmland and sheltered cavities on buildings or vegetation.
Diurnal in warm weather.
Adults take nectar; larvae receive chewed caterpillars and other insects.
Annual social colony with foundresses, workers, males and new reproductive females.
What makes this species remarkable?
When several females found a nest together they form a dominance hierarchy, and the highest-ranking foundress usually monopolises most egg laying.
Black facial markings function as status badges; experimentally altered “dishonest” signals can provoke extra aggression from nestmates.
A colony-specific blend of cuticular hydrocarbons coats adults and nest paper, acting as a chemical passport used to recognise nestmates.
More photographs
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