OVERWINTERING COLONIES OF THE COMMON WASP (VESPULA-VULGARIS) IN PALMERSTON-NORTH, NEW-ZEALAND

Three overwintered colonies of the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) were collected in Palmerston North, New Zealand, during December 1993 and January 1994. Nest size ranged from 12-14 combs and 14 930-24 321 cell s, making them larger than annual colonies at that time of year. Altho ugh one of the colonies was producing drones, none of the nests contai ned any queen cells, indicating that all were behaving more as asynchr onous annual colonies rather than as true perennial ones. Overwinterin g by common wasps has been reported previously in beech forests contai ning honeydew near Nelson, but not in urban areas of Nelson or Christc hurch. Honeydew is not available in urban Palmerston North and so cann ot be a requirement for overwintering by V. vulgaris. The severity of winters in Christchurch may explain the rarity of overwintering common wasps, and, if so, suggests that this phenomenon may be more frequent in northern parts of New Zealand.