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See Cretin (1909) J. Bom. Nat. Hist. Soc. 74:820 Eumenis dimidiatipennis
S.
Hingston R. W. G. (1926 & 27) Ibid 31:241, 754, 890 and 32:98,
246. Potter wasps.
Fam. Vespidae (True wasps) (ग धील माश् ल शांचे टो ) (PI. IV, Fig. 58) Wings
longitudinally folded at rest. Mid tibiae with 2 spurs, Warning colours.
Petiole long, slender fore tibiae with comb. Social. Nests for one season or
more. Workers present in some species. Generally virulent, irritable, sting
badly. Nests of papery material of chewed vegetable fibre, hexagonal.
Generally open all- Insects round with many cells. Feed on insect or fruit
juices, sugar, sweets etc. Young feed on crushed material. Destroy
considerable number of insects. Adult impregnated females hibernate in
winter in houses, found colonies next season. Hornets belong to this
family. About 100 species in India, 10 in Maharashtra.
B. indica. Dark brown, yellow and black bands on abdomen. L. 18-24
mm. Icaria form small nests of 5-40 cells haging to a twig, leaf or wall,
generally in two rows. Adult generally reddish with yellow bands or spots.
L. 8-15 mm. Polistes spp. Make nests on house verandahs, sheltered
places, form horizontal combs, complex with a diameter of 125-150 mm.
Hibernate in winter in cracks and clinks in houses. Brown and yellow with
black marks. L. 11-14 mm. P. hebraeus. Yellow or brownish, fine black
lines. L. 20-24 mm. A nuisance in houses. Hypsopygia larva (Pyralid)
feeds on the wasp larvae and the nest. Vespa spp. Cosmopolitan. Build
nests in trees, on ground, at roots of trees, under eves of houses. Fierce,
irritable. Stings dangerous. Found in sweetmeat shops. Combs completely
enclosed, keeping free passage to each comb. V. cincta. Brownish, red or
black, yellow band on abdomen. Vary. Stout, L. 20-35 mm. in forests. V.
orientalis. Similar, common in sweetmeat market. Does no harm to man.
(See Burton R. W.—1950 J. Bom. Nat. Hist. Soc. 49:796. Stings by the
Indian Hornets.)
FAUNA 469