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Glite Dictionary
Polistes annularis

Polistes annularis

9.9
A paper wasp with a reddish-brown body and yellow bands found in the southeastern United States
  • noun
  • Specialized
: Polistes annularis
  • The reddish-brown coloration helps Polistes annularis blend in with tree bark.

Examples

  • Polistes annularis nests are often found in shrubs or on buildings in the southeastern United States.

  • Researchers observed the social behavior of Polistes annularis colonies during the summer months.

  • The Polistes annularis is known for its striking appearance.

  • Many gardeners fear the Polistes annularis because of its aggressive nature.

  • Polistes annularis is a type of paper wasp commonly found in the southeastern United States.

  • You can identify Polistes annularis by its reddish-brown body and yellow bands.

  • In late summer, Polistes annularis builds its nests in sheltered areas like eaves and shrubs.

Surface Forms

Polistes annularis singular
Polistes annularises plural

Morphology

Polistes + annularis

This is a taxonomic binomial formed compositionally (genus + species). 'Polistes' denotes a genus of paper wasps and the Latin-derived epithet 'annularis' means 'ringed' or 'having rings', so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to a ringed paper wasp; scientific naming is morphologically transparent and cross-linguistically recognizable.

Etymology

Polistes annularis is named for how it looks: Polistes is the group of paper wasps and annularis means 'ringed' because this red-brown wasp has yellow rings on its body. That's why the name points to its bright bands and helps you remember the species.