Lerak paper wasp (Polistes tenebricosus)

Lerak paper wasp (Polistes tenebricosus) is a species belonging to the family Vespidae. These predatory wasps live in colonies and construct nests—often near human settlements, where they may occasionally pose a threat; while not inherently aggressive, they will react if their nest is disturbed.

P. tenebricosus is predominantly black or dark brown in color, featuring light brown rings on its abdomen. Its body surface appears rough, glossy, and hairless. It possesses large, black eyes and triangular, scissor-like mandibles. A pair of long, dark brown antennae, tipped with black, extends from the head.



The wasp has a pair of translucent, brown-tinted wings, supported by a black framework and a network of dark brown veins. Its abdomen is teardrop-shaped, consisting of five ring-like segments—which may vary in color or appear uniform—and tapers to a pointed tip. The legs feature small spines at the joints.

This species undergoes a four-stage life cycle. The establishment phase begins when a solitary female or an initial group constructs a nest, creating a supporting stalk on structures such as the eaves of houses, rock formations, or trees. The worker phase commences approximately two months after the colony is established.

The reproductive phase begins when reproductive females emerge from nest cells that differ from those in which the worker females developed. The transition phase (the final stage) occurs as behaviors such as larval care and foraging decline; the number of workers decreases, aggression within the colony rises, and the nest structure becomes disorganized or chaotic.

TAXON

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Order: Hymenoptera
Suborder: Apocrita
Infraorder: Aculeata
Superfamily: Vespoidea
Family: Vespidae
Subfamily: Polistinae
Tribe: Polistini
Genus: Polistes
Subgenus: Gyrostoma atreille (1802)
Species: Polistes tenebricosus Lepeletier (1836)

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Polistes javanicus Cameron (1905)
Polistes sulcatus Smith (1852)
Polistes varicornis Cameron (1905)

VERNACULAR NAME

Chinese (simplified): 褐长脚蜂 - 畦马蜂 - 褐马蜂
Chinese (traditional): 烏胸馬蜂 - 赭褐長腳蜂 - 姬棕色長腳蜂 - 褐長腳蜂
Lerak paper wasp
Hong Kong: 赭褐長腳蜂
Indonesian: Tawon lerak, Tawon kertas rumahan
Java: Tawon lerak, Tawon ndas lerak
Taiwan: 烏胸馬蜂 - 赭褐長腳蜂

Aryo Bandoro
Dlium TheDlium
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