Polistes bellicosus

jonathan142 added a comment
This is indeed the more typical form while the linked one is a more regional form more common around south Texas. The main difference is that the typical form lacks spots on the abdomen whereas the south Texas form typically has a pair of spots (or occasionally more). Dr. Buck gives a summary of eastern species in his key.

There are a few particularly useful traits in separating the striped species of Florida (and really throughout most of the species' ranges):

• antennal tips not with 4 segments contrastingly light and region of head behind ocelli (occiput) not marked in yellow - rules out P. exclamans and P. bellicosus

• clypeus ("upper lip" plate) at least 50% yellow and hind femora lacking dark markings at the base - rules out P. dorsalis and P. fuscatus

• size closer to 1 inch than to 0.5 inch - additional trait to rule out P. dorsalis

Posted on Φεβρουάριος 07, 2019 0418 ΜΜ by e16