Vespa ducalis Smith, 1852

Smith-Pardo, Allan H., Carpenter, James M. & Kimsey, Lynn, 2020, The Diversity of Hornets in the Genus Vespa (Hymenoptera: Vespidae; Vespinae), Their Importance and Interceptions in the United States, Insect Systematics and Diversity 4 (3), No. 2, pp. 1-27 : 13-14

Vespa ducalis Smith

Figs. 7c, 7d, 8d , 13b , 27 , and 28

Vespa ducalis Smith, 1852: 39 . Syntypes female, male; China: ‘ Teintung , near Nigo-po-foo’ ( LONDON-NHM) .

Vespa ducalis var. pulchra du Buysson, 1905 (1904) : 519. Lectotype female (designated by van der Vecht, 1959: 224); Japan: Yokohama (PARIS).

Vespa matsumurai Sonan, 1935: 370 . Holotype female; Japan: Tokyo (TAICHUNG).

Vespa esakii Sonan, 1935: 371 . Holotype female; Japan: Tsushima Is., ‘Izuhara’ (FUKUOKA).

Vespa tropica loochooensis Bequaert, 1936: 343 . Holotype female; Japan: Iriomote Is., Ryukyu Archipelago (CAMBRIDGE).

Vespa tropica pseudosoror van der Vecht, 1959: 224 . Holotype female; Vietnam: Annam, Tourane , 1,000 m (PARIS).

Distribution. India, Sikkim, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand; Laos, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Hainan; Taiwan; Russia: Korea; Japan, including Ryukyu Is.

Discussion. This species of Vespa is quite different from the others. It preys on nests of other paper wasps, feeding the paper wasp pupae and larvae to their larvae. Their colonies are small with an average of 50 individuals, and nests are built underground, in tree hollows, and even in attics ( Archer 1991).

Figures

Figs. 5–8. Vespa morphology.Fig. 5.Lateral view of metasomal tergum 2.Fig.6. (a,b) Lateral view of pretegular pronotal carina.(c, d) Front view of clypeus.Fig. 7. (a, b) Front view of clypeus. (c, d). Dorsal view of vertex. Fig. 8. (a, c) Lateral view of metasoma. (b, d, e) Dorsal view of metasoma. Fig. 5a, V. fervida. Fig. 5b, V. luctuosa. Figs. 6a, 6c, 7a, 8a, 8c, V. philippinensis. Figs. 6b, 6d, V. velutina. Figs. 7b, 7e, 7f V. tropica. Figs.7c, 7d, 8d, V. ducalis. Fig. 8b, V. bicolor.

Figs. 13 and 14. Vespa morphology. (a, b) Dorsal view of scutum. (c, d) Lateral view of pronotal lobe. (e, f) Lateral view of anterior pronotal carina. (a) V. basalis. (b) V. ducalis. (c) V. vivax. (d) V. velutina. Fig. 14. V. affinis coloration. (a) Lateral view. (b) Dorsal view. (c) Front view of face.

Figs. 27 and 28. Vespa ducalis color forms. (a) Lateral view. (b) Dorsal view. (c) Front view of face.