Malcolm NQ
Paper wasps Ropalidia sp 3413
When I spotted this colony of paper wasps on Magnetic Island my first thought was that it was a big one, and my second was that they were Ropalidia revolutionalis - the nest shape is distinctive and diagnostic.
Only when I examined the images later did I notice that these wasps had yellow faces, whereas all the R. revolutionalis I have photographed before have dark red-brown faces. A few minutes online informed me that these yellow faces are indeed unusual - I couldn't find any image showing the feature.
Random variation within the species? Subspecies? I don't know.
Paper wasps Ropalidia sp 3413
When I spotted this colony of paper wasps on Magnetic Island my first thought was that it was a big one, and my second was that they were Ropalidia revolutionalis - the nest shape is distinctive and diagnostic.
Only when I examined the images later did I notice that these wasps had yellow faces, whereas all the R. revolutionalis I have photographed before have dark red-brown faces. A few minutes online informed me that these yellow faces are indeed unusual - I couldn't find any image showing the feature.
Random variation within the species? Subspecies? I don't know.