Common name(s): Banded paper wasp/Banded Polistes (in Poisonous Animals of Malaysia by M. Tweedie)
Scientific Name: Polistes sagittarius
This is a species with quite a wide distribution in tropical Asia, as many books on Asian insect fauna will show.
An interesting about this species is that it shows strong resemblance to Vespa affinis in colour and pattern. In fact, I mistook it for Vespa affinis on many occasions. The main point to differentiate them is the body size and the length of the legs. Polistes sagittarius is noticeably more slender-bodied than Vespa affinis, and has longer legs in relation with its body size. Also, it flies with its legs clearly extended vertically downwards. Vespa-Bicolor
Spotted at Jurong Lake Garden
Banded Paper Wasp feeding the babies or taking care of their babies, looks like a caterpillar In this video, the adult wasp is actually trying to get the larvae to secrete a sweet liquid which they feed on for energy. The Fanning the nest to keep it cool and to diffuse the smell of the nest into the air and help the others find it back.
Thanks John Lee, Bees & Wasps of Singapore for the information.
Choa Chu Kang – September 2021
