Vespa analis Fabricius

Figs. 2d, 2e, 15, and 16

Vespa analis Fabricius, 1775: 363 . Holotype female; ‘in Cap. B. S’. [in error, probably Java] (LONDON-LS).

Vespa crabro sphinx Christ, 1791: 217 . Holotype female (destroyed).

Vespa tyrannica Smith, 1857:119 . Lectotype female (designated by van der Vecht, 1959: 215); Singapore (LONDON-NHM).

Vespa japonica Smith, 1868: 279 . Lectotype male (designated by Kojima, 1997: 20); Japan: ‘Hakodadi’ (LONDON-NHM). Nec Vespa japonica Radoszkowski, 1857, and Vespa japonica de Saussure, 1858 (= Vespula flaviceps (Smith)) .

Vespa parallela André, 1884: lxi. Holotype female; Russia: Vladivostock, ‘sur l’Amour’ (PARIS).

Vespa insularis Dalla Torre, 1894, Cat. Hym. 9: 147. Replacement name for Vespa japonica Smith.

Vespa tridentata Cameron, 1903: 278 . Lectotype female (designated by Kojima, 1997: 20); Japan (LONDON-NHM).

Vespa nigrans du Buysson, 1903: 175 . Holotype male; China: ‘ Yunnam, Tsé-kou’ (PARIS).

Vespa parallela var. biroi du Buysson, 1905 (1904): 513. Lectotype female (designated by van der Vecht 1957); Singapore (PARIS).

Vespa analis var. tenebrosa du Buysson, 1905 (1904): 516. Lectotype female (designated by van der Vecht, 1957: 14); Indonesia: Java, Goban (PARIS).

Vespa analis var. (or subsp.) barbouri Bequaert, 1939: 40. Holotype female; India: Sikkim, Teesta Valley (CAMBRIDGE).

Vespa analis var. (or subsp.) kuangsiana Bequaert, 1939: 42. Holotype female; China: ‘ Kwangsi’, (CAMBRIDGE).

Vespa analis eisa Yamane, 1987: 631 . Holotype female; Japan: ‘ Yona, Okinawa-jima’ (KAGOSHIMA).

Vespa analis nagatomii Yamane, 1987: 632 . Holotype female; Japan: ‘ Koza-dake, Iriomote-jima’ (KAGOSHIMA).

Vespa maguanensis Dong, 2001: 82 . Holotype female; China: Yunnan (KUNMING). Synonymized by Carpenter et al. (2011).

Vespa hekouensis Dong and Wang, 2003: 407 . Holotype female; China, Yunnan, Hekou County (KUNMING). Synonymized by Carpenter et al. (2011).

Distribution. India, Nepal, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Russia, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Malaya, Singapore, Indonesia.

Discussion. This is one of the most widely distributed species of Vespa . Its native range includes tropical Asia and extends north into Japan, Russia, and Korea. Nests are typically built in trees 2–3 m above the ground (Archer 1998b).