Vespula infernalis (de Saussure) Kimsey & Carpenter, 2012

Kimsey, Lynn S. & Carpenter, James M., 2012, The Vespinae of North America (Vespidae, Hymenoptera), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 28, pp. 37-65 : 46

Vespula infernalis (de Saussure) stat. n. Figs 4, 7 20 41 62 75

Vespa infernalis de Saussure 1854:139. Holotype female; “L’Amérique du Nord, Philadelphie (TURIN?).

Vespa tripunctata Packard 1870:26, pl. II fig. 11. Holotype female: “Kutleet”, USA (repository unknown). Nec Vespa tripunctata Fabricius 1787 and Vespa tripunctata Schenck 1861.

Distribution.

The distribution of Vespula austriaca closely resembles that of acadica, occurring in subarctic Alaska and Canada, and southward in the western mountain ranges.

Biology.

This is an obligatory social parasite of Vespula acadica ( Reed et al. 1979). This species has been known as Vespula austriaca , a Palearctic species, since Bequaert (1916), but there are sculptural differences in queens between Palearctic and Nearctic specimens.

Figures

Figures 2 - 13. 11 - 12 Front view of face 5 - 7 Dorsal view of head 8 - 10 Lateral view of head 11 Dorsal view of thorax 12, 13 Lateral view of male metasomal tergum VII.

Figures 14 - 25. Front view of face, antennae removed. Vpl. = Vespula.

Figures 38 - 47. Dorsal view of worker metasoma.

Figures 59 - 71. Lateral view of genital capsule in Vespula (Vpl). Abbreviations: ae = aedeagus p = paramere.

Figures 72 - 84. Ventral view of genital capsule in Vespula (Vpl). Abbreviations: A. = dorsal view of paramere ae = aedeagus p = paramere v = volsella Vpl. = Vespula.