Median wasp
Mean wasp ( Dolichovespula media)
The Middle wasp or hornet Small ( Dolichovespula media) is a wrinkle wasp of the genus Dolichovespula ( Dolichovespula ) and thus does not belong to the actual hornets.
The species is relatively peaceful, only in the nest area they can aggressively. Due to their synanthropic life their nests are often destroyed by ignorance and fear of people.
Features
Queens of this kind reach a body length of 18 to 22 mm, workers and drones are 15 to 19 millimeters long. Your body is colored highly variable from strong reddish yellow to almost black. Even within the same nest may have different color variations occur. Workers and drones are mostly black in color and have a narrow, yellow subscribe. The eyes of the animals bay is colored mostly yellow. The type, in particular the queen with her red drawing on the thorax, can be confused with the hornet (Vespa crabro ), but has a much leaner physique.
Occurrence
The species is in Europe, north spreads to the Arctic Circle. In southern Europe, their occurrence restricted to mountainous regions. It settles small woods and thickets, and preferably also in the human settlement area. The animals fly from late April to mid-September, where workers can be observed from the end of May, queens and drones of the new generation from the end of July. The species is widespread in Central Europe but not often.
Way of life
The light gray marbled paper nests have closed air pockets and consist mostly of poplar wood. They reach a maximum size of 31 times 27 centimeters and consist of a maximum of six, usually three to five honeycomb whose edges are bent up. These include up to 1,800 cells, in which case a maximum of 900-1700 individuals live in a nest, of which 150 to 500 workers are. The nests are open plan in bushes or hedges and also at eaves in one to four meters in height. In young nests of input may be tubular elongated downward, this input tube will be removed after some time. Not infrequently, there is the entrance of old nests in the lower third of the page. The people developed relatively quickly, but died quite early, usually in August from.