Polistes dominula (Christ)

Matsunaga, Janis N., Howarth, Francis G. & Kumashiro, Bernarr R., 2019, New State Records and Additions to the Alien Terrestrial Arthropod Fauna in the Hawaiian Islands, Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society 51 (1), pp. 1-71 : 14

Polistes dominula (Christ)

Establishment uncertain

Adults of the European paper wasp were first collected in the field in June, 2006 by the City and County of Honolulu Parks and Recreation personnel on Oahu (HDOA 2007). Workers were stung as they were trimming trees at Keehi Lagoon Beach Park, where a nest was subsequently found and collected from one of the trees. Keehi Lagoon Beach Park is in close proximity to the Honolulu International Airport and the Honolulu Harbor , which are both less than a mile away. Surveys following this discovery did not reveal additional adult wasps or nests.

A second collection of P. dominula from Volcano, Hawaii was reported by David Foote, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center. A student on a school bus was stung by aggressive European paper wasps which flew in through the bus’ open windows. A nest was found attached to the outside of one of the windows.

Finally, a third collection of the European paper wasp was made when a nest was discovered attached to the undercarriage of an imported firetruck in Kahului after aggressive wasps were reported to be flying around the truck.

Polistes dominula adults have been intercepted at Hawaii ports of entry on numerous occasions, commonly hitchhiking in shipping containers, in Christmas tree shipments, and in nests attached to vehicles coming from the western mainland U.S. The three collections of this species have been found at large, though at circumstances that may not particularly confirm establishment. After nests were contained from all three collections, there have been no known reports of the European paper wasp known to the authors. The European paper wasp is known from cooler, seasonal climates. It is possible that this species exists in small numbers within similar habitats to Vespula pennsylvanica , and therefore, the two yellow and black patterned wasps could easily be misidentified if only flying in the distance. If the European paper wasp becomes well established, there may be concerns for native bees and lepidoptera, as well as its aggressive nature and propensity to sting people.

Collection records: OAHU, Keehi Lagoon Park, 16.VI.2006, at large around nest in tree, coll. K. Bernie, det. D. Oishi and B. Kumashiro, VI.2006. MAUI, Kahului , 26.VIII.2008, at large around nest on a firetruck shipped from San Diego , California, coll. A. Shishido, det. B. Kumashiro , VIII.2008. Vouchers at HDOA. HAWAII, Volcano , 2008, flying around a nest attached to the window of a school bus, coll. D. Foote.