Dolichovespula norwegica

Identification Atlas of the Vespidae (Hymenoptera, Aculeata) of the northeastern Nearctic region
CJAI 05, February 19, 2008
doi: 10.3752/cjai.2008.05

Matthias Buck, Stephen A. Marshall, and David K.B. Cheung

Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1

Next species | Previous species | Key

86. Dolichovespula norwegica (Fabricius, 1781)
Figs B12.1, 4, 10, 11; C86.1–9.

Species recognition. This is the only ivory-marked species of Dolichovespula in which the apical fasciae of terga 1 and 2 are neither interrupted nor incised. Except for the colour of its pale markings the species is very similar to D. norvegicoides, from which it can be separated by the characters provided in the key.

Variation. Fore wing length 9.0–10.0 mm (workers), 12.5–13.0 mm (♀♀), 10.5–12.5 mm (♂♂). Black clypeal spot usually extending to both dorsal and ventral margins of clypeus, rarely not attaining dorsal margin. Lower gena black, with or without small ivory spot. Female flagellum usually with more or less developed orange ventral spots on each flagellomere, sometimes entirely dark. Mesopleuron with ivory spot small, often absent. Scutellum in female rarely, in male often without ivory spots; metanotum almost always lacking ivory spots. Metasomal terga 1 and 2 with ferruginous blotches laterally in worker and male, these occasionally absent, especially on tergum 1. Tergum 5 rarely with almost with free black discal spots.

Distribution. Canada: all provinces and territories. Northern U.S.: AK and ME. Palaearctic: northern and western Europe east to Kamchatka and northern China, south to Turkey and Kirghizia (Carpenter and Kojima 1997, Archer 1999).

Biology. Poorly known in the Nearctic. Recorded nests were subterranean or partially subterranean and small (Akre et al. 1981). In Europe nests are often found in low shrubbery, less commonly in trees (sometimes more than 10 m above ground), haystacks, beehives, old bird nests, and window frames (Spradbery 1973).

Next species | Previous species | Key