Northern females on the other hand are easily identified by the blackening of their entire bodies which may or may not have markings of other colors. Many southern "P. fuscatus" individuals, however, have additional markings and may resemble wasps of other species. The facial and abdominal markings of "P. fuscatus" are highly variable, including a variety of different patterns, such as small dots, long stripes, clypeus blotches, yellow abdominal dots, upper clypeus stripes, and combinations of both clypeus edge and tip colorations. Furthermore, some wasps have these facial and abdominal patterns in brown and black instead of yellow. These markings colors, however, are often influenced by the geographic location of the wasp. The length of "P. fuscatus" often ranges between 15 and 21 mm. The fore wing length ranges between 11.5 and 17.0 mm; in general, the fore wing of males is above 13.0 mm, whereas females have a fore wing length above 11.0 mm. Both males and females have rather slender bodies and have a waist that connects the thorax to the abdomen. The female has a venomous sting. The pain of its sting is commonly compared to being pricked with a large needle, such of that of a tattoo. With length and coloration also varies throughout the seasonal year of when the wasps emerge. "P. fuscatus's" distribution ranges from southern Canada to the United States to Central America. The most northern range is Chilcotin, British Columbia, and reaches as far south as Honduras. Although "P. fuscatus" prefers wooded areas for the readily available resources to build the nest, it also is often seen in areas which humans inhabit. Nests are produced using wood provided from their habitat, masticated with fluid produced by its mouth to create a pulp-like substance. However, a recently mutated form of the wasp has developed an attraction to colder lights, such as Fluorescent Lights, and they commonly use areas surrounding them as a habitat to lay their eggs. However, another eusocial wasp species, "Polistes dominula", has been recognized as a threat to "P. fuscatus". "P. dominula" has been displacing "P. fuscatus "at many of the formerly "P. fuscatus-"dominated areas. "P. dominula" was likely replacing "P. fuscatus" through indirect or exploitative competition, which was consistent with the finding that "P. dominula" was significantly more productive than "P. fuscatus".