Vespa luctuosa de Saussure

Figs. 4c, 4f, 5b, 12c, and 32

Vespa luctuosa de Saussure, 1854: 143 . Holotype male; Philippines (LONDON-NHM).

Vespa bellicosa var. semperi du Buysson, 1905 (1904): 542. Lectotype female (designated by van der Vecht, 1957: 48). Philippines: Camiguin Is., ‘Comigu’ (VIENNA).

Vespa luctuosa var. luzonensis Bequaert, 1934: 5 . Holotype female; Philippines: Luzon (BERLIN).

Vespa luctuosa negrosensis Kojima and Tano, 1985: 436 . Holotype female; Philippines: ‘ Mambucal, Negros Is’. (TOKYO). Synonymized by Archer (1999).

Distribution. Philippines.

Discussion. This species has been found nesting in forested regions between 200 and 1,500 m elevation.The nests are built on tree branches, sometimes as high as 20 m above the ground (Archer 1999).