1. Vespa is widely distributed. It is commonly found in India.
2. They build nest of mud or paper pulp (wood fibre finely masticated) over walls, ceilings and trees, in holes or underground.
3. Vespa orientalis is commonly called Indian wasp. It is a chestnut red coloured insect.
4. Body is divisible into head, thorax and abdomen.
5. Head bears a pair of compound eyes, three ocelli and a pair of antennae.
6. Mouth parts are chewing type.
7. Thorax and abdomen are joined through a narrow and small pedicel. Thus, the abdomen is pedicellate.
8. The female possesses a well-developed sting whose infliction is quite painful.
9. The social wasps are trimorphic: queen, worker and males.
10. The queens are fertile females, the workers are sterile females and the males are theresult of development of unfertilized eggs or eggs laid sometime by the sterileworkers that cannot be fertilized.
11. The nest is made in a variety of situations such as trees, in holes or underground.
12. They feed on insects, meat, fruit-juices, sugar, honeydew, sweet meat and candies etc.
Source:
1. Practical Zoology Invertebrates by S.S.Lal. 2. A Manual of Practical Zoology Chordates by Dr. P.S. Verma.
