This website is part of an ongoing PhD thesis at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
It’s main goal? – Compile all available pictures of three species of social wasps:
Polistes dominula, Vespula germanica, and Vespula vulgaris
Why? - To verify, re-assign, or provide more information about the species and gender of each specimen based on a picture library
These three species are among five known invasive social wasp species that were accidentally introduced in New Zealand since the 1940s. Vespula and Polistes wasps lack natural predators in New Zealand, which has contributed to their widespread distribution across both islands.
In New Zealand, they are known to compete with native bird species – such as kākā, bellbirds, and tūī – for carbohydrate-rich food. Vespula are particularly common in the beech forests of the South Island, where they feed on honeydew, a sugar-rich liquid secreted by certain insect species, thus further disturbing the natural food chain.
Kākā
Tūī
The close presence of these wasps to human structures can pose a significant problem due to their painful stings. They have also been observed attacking beehives to rob honey and destroy hives, disrupting pollination.
As such, gathering information about the gender ratio and seasonal occurrence of these wasps could help improve our understanding of their life cycle, which may contribute to future pest management strategies.