The Red Paper Wasp (Polistes carolina) is a social wasp species in the Vespidae family. They are native to the United States, and they have also been found in Bermuda and Canada, where they are considered non-native. The common name is in reference to the wasps’ red-brown color of the head and body. Other physical traits are their long black wings and the brown stripes on the abdomen. The Red Paper Wasp constructs nests with plant and wood fibers to create a paper-like material, and when dried, the nests are in the form of an upside-down umbrella.
The Red Paper Wasp has an overall body length between .94”-1.26” (24-32 mm), body width of .24”-.33” (6-8.5 mm), and body height of .24”-.33” (6-8.5 mm). The wingspan of the Red Paper Wasp is in the range of .59”-.98” (15-25 mm). The typical lifespan of the Red Paper Wasp is between 12-22 days for workers and around 1 year for the Queen.
The Red Paper Wasp (Polistes carolina) is a social wasp species in the Vespidae family. They are native to the United States, and they have also been found in Bermuda and Canada, where they are considered non-native. The common name is in reference to the wasps’ red-brown color of the head and body. Other physical traits are their long black wings and the brown stripes on the abdomen. The Red Paper Wasp constructs nests with plant and wood fibers to create a paper-like material, and when dried, the nests are in the form of an upside-down umbrella.
The Red Paper Wasp has an overall body length between .94”-1.26” (24-32 mm), body width of .24”-.33” (6-8.5 mm), and body height of .24”-.33” (6-8.5 mm). The wingspan of the Red Paper Wasp is in the range of .59”-.98” (15-25 mm). The typical lifespan of the Red Paper Wasp is between 12-22 days for workers and around 1 year for the Queen.