Vespa simillima simillima A basal portion of the right mandible, showing the absence of pits on the outer surface B minute spicules on the conical papillae (arrow) in the medioventral portion of the palate C spicules in the lateral part of the palatolabral junction D, E antenna and clypeus; black arrows indicate variations in antennal rim sclerotization, the blue arrow indicates a dotted patch on the frons, a blue line shows that the dorsalmost point of the clypeus and ventral margin of the antenna are at the same level, the red line is tangent to the inner margin of the antenna and the outermost point of the clypeus, and a yellow line showing the gap between the ventral margin of the temporal band and the dorsal margin of the antenna F, G head in frontal view H labrum (left) and palate (right) in frontal view I apical portion of the right mandible, with the arrow showing variation in the shape of tooth II J temporal band in Vespa simillima and V. velutina. Scale bars: 0.03 mm (A–C); 0.3 mm (D–G, J), 0.1 mm (H, I).