Vespula (Genus)

Vespula germanica or Vespula vulgaris at Tawonga, VIC

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Identification history

Vespula (Genus)	22 Apr 2025	DiBickers
Apis mellifera	21 Apr 2025	CarbonAI
Unverified	21 Apr 2025	DrDJDavidJ

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User's notes

hive in log

2 comments

DiBickers wrote:

22 Apr 2025

European wasps are aggressive hunters of insects and spiders, which they feed to their larvae. The adults themselves eat pollen, nectar, other carbohydrates and secretions produced by their young. This wasp out-competes native species for food resources as well as virtually depleting an area of its insect and spider fauna. Vespula germanica also has a large negative impact on human receation activities. Nests should be reported.

"A typical European wasp nest is started in the spring by a single queen emerging from hibernation. She raises the first worker wasps herself, which then help her raise more workers, and so the nest grows through the summer. Come the autumn most workers die out while the newly born queens search for a warm, dark place to hibernate." (Dr Reeson, Adelaide University)

Other online resources:

https://museumvictoria.com.au/wasps/

https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/science/plants-animals-fungi/animals/invertebrates/invasive-invertebrates/wasps

KylieWaldon wrote:

23 Apr 2025

They can also bounce off spider webs! Seen them do it a few times now, rather than get caught in it.

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Location information

Coordinates 147.258416 -36.699818
Altitude 628.9m
Maps Alpine Shire
Places Tawonga, VIC

Sighting information

At least 1 Abundance
21 Apr 2025 12:02 PM Recorded on
DrDJDavidJ Recorded by
Collections
DrDJDavidJ NatureMapr Hume Social or paper-nest wasps (Vespidae, Polistinae & Vespinae) Wasps (Hymenoptera, Apocrita) Insects

Additional information

12mm to 25mm Animal size

Species information

Vespula (Genus) Scientific name
Vespula germanica or Vespula vulgaris Common name
Not Sensitive
Exotic
Major weed or pest
Up to 1332m Recorded at altitude
Machine learning

Record quality

Images or audio
More than one media file
Verified by an expert moderator
Nearby sighting(s) of same species
GPS evidence of location
Description
Additional attributes

Australian Capital Territory

New South Wales

Queensland

Northern Territory

Western Australia

South Australia

Victoria

Tasmania