Polistes bellicosus Marking ID Guide

The table below provides a means of visually identifying the members of the Polistes bellicosus colonies using a paint-spot system. The colors refer only to dots on the thorax of the wasps. Over means that one spot is closer to the head and the other is closer to the abdomen. Next to means one spot is closer to the left wing base, and the other is closer to the right wing base.

Nest ID
Wasp ID
Color
64
1
light blue
64
2
dark blue
64
3
dark blue over dark blue
64
4
unmarked
64
5
light green next to light green
64
6
yellow next to light blue
64
7
white
114
8
white over white
114
9
dark blue
114
10
orange over orange
114
11
light blue over light blue
114
12
red
114
13
dark green over dark green
114
14
red over red
114
15
white
114
16
dark green
114
17
yellow over yellow
114
18
yellow
114
19
white next to light green
114
20
large red
155
21
light blue over light blue
155
22
light green
155
23
white
155
24
dark green
155
25
yellow
155
26
light green next to dark green over orange
155
27
dark blue next to yellow
155
28
white next to orange