A species of the family Vespidae, Australian paper wasps are native to Australia and New Zealand. They differ from the paper wasps found in Europe and North America in the coloring of their bodies. Australian paper wasps are reddish-brown and black, unlike other species that are yellow and black.
Australian paper wasps build their nests out of a paper-like substance. These nests are quite complex. They consist of a number of exposed cells, or combs, that hang in an umbrella shape. This shape is suspended on a long pedicel, which aids in the protection of the nest against predators, like ants.
Like other wasp species, a queen who has survived the winter starts the paper wasp nest. The striped paper wasp queen creates cells in the nest in which she can lay her eggs.
The queen will care for the larvae until they emerge as workers. Then she will relinquish her duties of feeding and nest building, and concentrate on laying eggs. Australian paper wasp queens that are newly hatched will fly off with males in the late summer. They will mate, and the inseminated queens will hibernate over the winter. The old colony will completely die off in the fall. When spring arrives, the queens will appear to rebuild their nests and start a new colony.
Paper wasps like to build their nests from tree branches and overhangs, such as eaves or windowsills. The paper wasps will usually only use a nest for one season.
Australian paper wasps are non-aggressive. They are different from other wasp species because they are semi-social. They exist in much smaller colonies, usually of no more than 20 members.
Australian paper wasps are also beneficial insects. They eat caterpillars and other pests. Australian paper wasps also have been known to eat non-native pests, thus reducing invasive species in Australia.