Wasp
Wasps first appeared in the fossil record in the Jurassic, and diversified into many surviving superfamilies by the Cretaceous. They are a successful and diverse group of insects with tens of thousands of described species; wasps have spread to all parts of the world except for the polar regions. The largest social wasp is the Asian giant hornet, at up to in length; among the largest solitary wasps is a group of species known as tarantula hawks, along with the giant scoliid of Indonesia ("Megascolia procer"). The smallest wasps are solitary chalcid wasps in the family Mymaridae, including the world's smallest known insect, with a body length of only , and the smallest known flying insect, only long.
Polistes biglumis
This species resides mainly in mountainous zones in Southern Europe, and it is the only paper wasp that inhabits a mountainous clime. Due to its divergence from the more common temperate climes of its genus, it has developed several distinctions from other paper wasps that arise mainly from selective pressure due to the severe climate it commonly experiences. The climate shortens the nesting season of "P. biglumis" to around four months. In addition, the nests exhibit darker coloration, which allows them to absorb more heat from the sun. Workers are also often nonexistent in some populations of "P. biglumis", which demonstrates a large dichotomy from other social wasps, whose most commonly seen specimens are the workers. Finally, because of the reduced nesting season as well as parasitism by other wasps, "P. biglumis" has developed nesting strategies that are both distinct from other paper wasps and variable among conspecific populations."Polistes biglumis" can reach a length of up to (queen), (workers), (males). It is a larger species of wasp in comparison to its relatives in "Polistes". It also exhibits darker coloration than that of other paper wasps; it has a black petiole for both sexes. The females exhibit black abdomens as well, with rare yellow spots. Males, however, have largely yellow abdomens. Adult wasps can be distinguished from the young because they are darkly colored and can fly, whereas young wasps have paler stripes and are flightless.