Polistes chinensis is a polistine vespid wasp in the cosmopolitan genus Polistes, and is commonly known as the Asian, Chinese or Japanese paper wasp. It is found in East Asia, in particular China and Japan. The subspecies P. chinensis antennalis is an invasive species in New Zealand, having arrived in 1979.
The wasps prey on invertebrates, especially caterpillars. In this species, queens destroy up to 70% of worker-laid eggs and are aided by workers in a process known as worker policing.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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starts withThe Asian paper wasp has a slender body about 13 to 25 mm (0.51 to 0.98 in) in length. Their bodies are reddish brown or black, with yellow rings and reddish areas on the abdomen. Their wings are reddish or amber brown, and they have long legs that hang down during flight. The general morphology of the spermatheca is similar in both reproductive and non-reproductive individuals. The spermathecal gland attaches to the central region of the spermatheca.
The Asian paper wasp frequently constructs nests on man-made structures including houses and buildings. It will also build nests on trees or bushes, usually on branches, but sometimes on leaves as well. P. chinensis prefers to colonize urban habitats, but nests have also been recorded near forest clearings. They sometimes build their nests in dense shrubs, making them difficult to locate. Large populations usually develop in warm, lowland areas with open habitat such as shrublands, swamps and meadows.
The paper wasp is native to East Asia. It has been recorded in China, Japan, Korea and Mongolia. The subspeciesP. chinensis antennalis is invasive in New Zealand. It is widespread in the North Island and the northern South Island and competes with native species for food, It has since been recorded in Norfolk Island and New South Wales. At least two independent invasion events, linked to Kanto and Kyushu, Japan, have been proposed as sources of the New Zealand wasps. The Asian paper wasp was first recorded in New Zealand in 1979, in Kohimarama and the Whangaparaoa Peninsula. It remained confined to these areas of Auckland until 1984, when it began appearing in inner city areas and western suburbs.
P. chinensis collects nectar and honeydew from flowers. The wasp preys on invertebrates, preferring larvae and caterpillars of lepidopteran insects (moths and butterflies) for protein resources, but may also feed on marine invertebrates or fish carrion when the opportunity arises. Asian paper wasps also feed on the larvae of other conspecific females. Larval saliva is an important nutrient resource for adult Asian paper wasps. This contains a high concentration of free amino acids, 50 times that of floral nectars, and is nutritionally analogous to nectar.
