Summary ²

One of two types of red paper wasps, Polistes carolina is a species of social wasp (subfamily Polistinae) in the family Vespidae. They are most commonly found in the eastern US from Texas through Nebraska. The wasp's common name is due to the reddish-brown color of its head and body. Red paper wasps are known to construct some of the largest nests of any wasp species and prefer to build their nests in protected spaces.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Tracey Fandre, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Tracey Fandre
2. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polistes_carolina

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Bug Guide
• BugGuide
• CUIC Insect Images
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0

iNat Map