Polistes metricus
| Metricus paper wasp | |
|---|---|
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| A pinned metricus paper wasp | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Vespidae |
| Genus: | Polistes |
| Species: | P. metricus |
| Binomial name | |
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Polistes metricus Say, 1831 |
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The metricus paper wasp (Polistes metricus) is a wasp native to North America. An interesting fact about this species is that Polistes metricus foragers take off from their nests as if they already know how long their trip is. For short flights, they exit the nest flying horizontally, while for long flights, they exit the nest flying straight up into a high altitude before pursuing their direction. In the United States, P. metricus ranges throughout the southern Midwest, the South, and as far northeast as New York, but has recently been spotted in southwest Ontario. A single female specimen has also been reported from Dryden, Maine.Polistes metricus is dark colored, with yellow tarsi and black tibia. Nests of Polistes metricus can be found attached to the sides of buildings, trees, and shrubbery.
Like other Polistes species, P. metricus, has evolved eusociality and demonstrates behaviors including nestmate discrimination and local mate competition. Like the other members of the order Hymenoptera, Polistes metricus has a haplodiploid genetic system. Nests of P. metricus have distinct characteristics like the ability to share nests with other Polistes species and reuse nests multiple seasons.
P. metricus prefers to consume soft-bodied prey, especially caterpillars. Less common names that P. metricus is known by are P. pallipes and P. metricus Say.
P. metricus is found to be most closely related to P. carolina. The most recent phylogenetic analysis shows that both share a common ancestor with P. bellicosus.
P. metricus belongs to the kingdom Animalia (animals), the phylum Arthropoda (arthropods), the subphylum Hexapoda (having six feet), the class Insecta (insects), the order Hymenoptera (which includes ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies), the taxon Aculeata (which includes stinging wasps, bees, and ants), the superfamily Vespoidea (which includes hornets, yellowjackets, paper wasps, potter wasps, mason wasps, and pollen wasps), the family Vespidae, the subfamily Polistinae (paper wasps), the genus Polistes, and the species metricus.
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