The Diversity of Hornets in the Genus Vespa (Hymenoptera: Vespidae; Vespinae), Their Importance and Interceptions in the United States Author Smith-Pardo, Allan H. USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Science and Technology (S & T), Sacramento, CA, allan.h.smith-pardo@usda.gov Author Carpenter, James M. Department of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, Author Kimsey, Lynn Bohart Museum of Entomology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, and text Insect Systematics and Diversity 2020 2020-05-31 4 3 2 1 27 journal article 22147 10.1093/isd/ixaa006 6c2ad151-a6e0-4c1b-be84-d1950abe22dd 2399-3421 3826921 Vespa tropica (Linnaeus) Figs. 7b, 7e, 7f , and 45–49 Sphex tropica Linnaeus, 1758: 571 . Holotype female; ‘in Indiis’ (UPPSALA). Vespa cincta Fabricius, 1775: 362 . Holotype ?; India : ‘ad littora Malabarica’ (LONDON-LS). Nec Vespa cincta Drury, 1773 . Vespa crabro tenebrionis Christ, 1791: 216 . Type? (destroyed). Vespa deusta Lepeletier, 1836: 506 . Lectotype female (designated by van der Vecht, 1959: 226); ‘Patrie inconnue’ (TURIN). Vespa unicolor Smith, 1863: 44 . Holotype female; Indonesia :‘ Bouru’ (OXFORD). Vespa cinta Wroughton, 1889: 35 . Misspelling of Vespa cincta Degeer 1773 . Vespa eulemoides du Buysson, 1905 (1904) : 530 . Holotype female; India : ‘Ile Andaman: port de Blair’ (GENOA). Vespa affinis var. trisignata Pérez, 1910: 8 . Holotype female; Indonesia : ‘ Timor’ (PARIS). Vespa rubricans Pérez, 1910: 10 . Lectotype female (designated by van der Vecht 1957); ‘Lindi ( Afrique orientale allemande )’ (PARIS). Vespa tropica var. anthracina Bequaert, 1936: 341 . Holotype female; Philippines : ‘ Sibuwan’ (WASHINGTON). Vespa tropica var. haematodes Bequaert, 1936: 338 . Holotype female; India : ‘ Kooloo’ (CAMBRIDGE). Figs. 42 and 43. Vespa simillima color forms. (a) Lateral view. (b) Dorsal view. (c) Front view of face. Vespa tropica leefmansi van der Vecht, 1957: 19 . Holotype female; Indonesia : ‘ Solok , Padang , Sumatra’ (LEIDEN) Vespa tropica trimeres van der Vecht, 1957: 19 ; Holotype female; Indonesia : Sulawesi , ‘ Palu , West Celebes’ (LEIDEN). Vespa tropica cebuana Kojima and Reyes, 1984: 260 . Holotype female; Philippines : ‘ Cebu City’ (TOKYO). Distribution . Afghanistan , Pakistan , India , Sri Lanka , Bhutan , Nepal , southeastern China , Hong Kong , Myanmar , Thailand , Laos , Cambodia , Vietnam , Malaysia , Malaya, Borneo, Indonesia , Papua New Guinea (including New Britain ), Philippines ; exotic in Guam . Discussion . This is a distinctively colored Vespa , with a black metasoma, except for a broad yellow to orange stripe across most of the second segment (as in V. affinis ), although some individuals may lack this stripe. Vespa tropica are nest predators of other social wasps as well as other large-bodied insects, including honeybees ( Archer 1991 ). Nests are either above ground in tree cavities or in cavities in the ground. Around human habitations, they will build nests under eaves, in shed, and attics.