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

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.1093/isd/ixaa006
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3847048
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/51438154-7E52-FF94-FF1D-113C3EB3F88E
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Vespa ducalis Smith
status

Treatment

Vespa ducalis Smith View in CoL

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

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

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

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

Vespa esakii Sonan, 1935: 371 View in CoL . 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).