Polistes chinensis
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Polistes chinensis is a polistine vespid wasp in the cosmopolitan genus Polistes, and is commonly known as the Asian, Chinese or Japanese paper wasp. Approximately 300 species of paper wasps have been identified worldwide. Polistes chinensis is found in East Asia, in particular China and Japan. The subspecies P. chinensis antennalis is an invasive species in New Zealand, having arrived in 1979, and more recently Australia.
The wasps prey on invertebrates, especially caterpillars. In this species, queens destroy up to 70% of worker-laid eggs and are aided by workers in a process known as worker policing. P. chinensis is a member of the cosmopolitan genus Polistes, the largest genus in the family Vespidae, with over 300 recognized species and subspecies. Two subspecies are known:
Their bodies are reddish brown or black, with yellow rings and reddish areas on the abdomen. Their wings are reddish or amber brown, and they have long legs that hang down during... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Asian Paper Wasp sighting in Royal National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 112th most-seen of the 175 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February, April–May, October and December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Asian Paper Wasp in Royal National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, March, June–September and November, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Asian Paper Wasp sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Asian Paper Wasp sightings, Royal National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Egmont National Park (New Zealand, about 10%) and Abel Tasman National Park (New Zealand, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Asian Paper Wasp is recorded against all the insects logged in Royal National Park (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
