European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula) Drone Postcard

This handsome fellow is a European paper wasp male or drone, sitting on a drain pipe. You can tell the difference between male and female European paper wasps fairly easily. The male has five yellow rings or segments on his abdomen, while the female has four. The male of the species often curls his antennae at the tip. His face is all yellow, while the face of the female is black and yellow - she has black at the base of her antennae and black mandibles as well. The male paper wasp can't sting but his jaws are strong enough to deliver a hefty nip. Usually it's a bluff though, and he becomes more amiable when he sees you are not intimidated. In the nest the females are dominant, and may chase or bite the drones, who take a submissive role and posture. Conversely, I have never seen a male wasp bite a female. Males or drone wasps actually do work, despite their reputation for fun and frolic. The drones are born in mid to late summer, after all the females have pupated. Thus they can't get food from larvae, as their sisters did. Now, just like the females, they go out and collect sap, nectar or other sweet drinks. Some they consume and some they feed to their adult nestmates. Drones also help with housekeeping - several times I saw drones cleaning the cells of the nest. Sometimes the females actually push a drone face-first into an empty cell. He might get a little reward, if the cell has been occupied - some sweet liquid at the bottom of the cell. This is a great design for any nature or wildlife lover who enjoys insects and especially wasps! It's also a super souvenir card. You can also personalize this with your own captions or words of wit, or delete the text by leaving the text box blank. Drone paper wasp photo by M Sylvia Chaume, Quebec, Canada.