Field Guide to Venomous and Medically Important Invertebrates ...

constructed from wood particles, foliage, and their saliva. Most are variously marked with black,
yellow, reddish or whitish markings. Most notable among the vespids are the hornets
(Dolichovespula spp., and Vespa spp.), yellow-jackets (Vespula spp.), and paper wasps (Polistes
spp.). Social wasps construct their nests aerially, attached to tree limbs or sheltered areas such as
roof gables (hornets, paper wasps), or in protected areas including underground spaces (yellow-
jackets). Stings from these insects are painful and may cause localized swelling, but they rarely
produce significant consequences such as anaphylactic reactions. However, they can sting
multiple times because the stinger is not pulled from the abdomen upon stinging as is in honey
bees. Stings can be treated with cold compresses or systemic antihistamines. Patients exhibiting
actual or suspected systemic responses should seek immediate emergency medical attention.
Figure 107. Bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata), North America. Photo: R. Bercha.
Figure 108. Nest of bald-faced hornet. Photo: Jack DeAngelis.
Figure 109. Yellow-jacket (Vespula sp.), North America. Photo: Jack DeAngelis.
Figure 110. Yellow-jacket nest. Photo: Gerald J. Lenhard.
Figure 111. Yellow-jackets (Vespula sp.) feeding on an apple. Photo: Scott Camazine.
Figure 112. Paper wasp (Polistes sp.) guarding their nest. Photo: David Bowles.
Figure 113. European hornet (Vespa crabo), Europe. Photo: Jeff Barnes.
Figure 114. Asian hornet (Vespula mandarainia sp.), southeast Asia. Photo: John Moore.
Figure 115. Unidentified hornet, southeast Asia. Photo: John Moore.
Figure 116. Unidentified paper wasp, southeast Asia. Photo: John Moore.
Velvet ants (Family Mutillidae) are wingless female wasps having an ant-like appearance.
Their bodies are covered with dense setae giving them a ―hairy‖ appearance, and they typically