Vespula akrei

Worker: Forewing length 8.2 ± 0.1 mm (range 7.7–8.5 mm). Vertex mostly black; ocular sinus completely yellow, continuing downward along inner eye margin to clypeus. Frons mostly yellow with medial black marking contiguous with black marking on clypeus, and vertical black stripe encompassing each antennal lobe. Gena yellow anteriorly from vertex to mandible base, black along posterior margin. Occipital carina complete. Oculo-malar space short, less than width of antennal scape, black. Clypeus yellow except brown distal edge and black distal lateral extensions. Mandible dorsally with long black hairs. Antenna all black. Mesonotum all black. Pronotum posteriorly with yellow mark bordering yellow area of mesopleuron. Scutellum and metanotum yellow with considerable black at mid-dorsum separating yellow markings. Fore coxa black to dark brown; femur yellow except black mark on dorsum of femoral base and black stripe anteriorly; tibia orange-yellow with light brown marking dorsally; tarsus orange-yellow. Mid coxa yellow; femur yellow except black marking on dorsum of femoral base; tibia yellow; tarsus orange-yellow. Hind coxa black with yellow marking dorsally; femur yellow except ventral black area at base; tibia yellow-brown with longitudinal dark brown area dorsally; tarsus light orange-yellow. Gastral terga: yellow bands of segments 1–4 of roughly equal width; first tergum with two yellow oval spots on either side of midline of black band dorsally; sixth sternum and tergum all black. Gaster without orange tinge.

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