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D. media queens are comparable in size to worker hornets and are also brown and yellow,
however their heads are not swollen behind the eyes and there is a dark mark on the frons.
Dolichovespula species are distinguish from Vespula and Paravespula species by having
longer cheeks below the eyes (see figure In Dolichovespula they are much longer than the
diameter of first antennal segment (scape) at its terminal end.
Vespula rufa can easily be distinguished from Paravespula specks by having black hairs on
the top of the first abdominal segment and not white hairs.