Polistes dominula (European paper wasp) – Andriana Vishka

December 9, 2025

Sample information
Picture
Photos by: Andriana V
Location
Collection date 09/02/2025
Captive / Cultivated? Wild-caught
Group Benedictine University
Observations

The arthropod was collected on the Benedictine University campus near the Quad area during the fall season. It was found resting on a milkweed leaf and was collected using a sweeping net. After capture, the insect was placed in a killing jar to secure and preserve the sample. The weather was sunny, and the collection occurred in the afternoon. The insect showed very little reaction when approached, remaining mostly still on the leaf in the open area.
Putative identification Arthropoda

Methods
Extraction kit DNeasy (Qiagen) blood and tissue kit.
DNA extraction location Abdomen
Single or Duplex PCR Single Reaction
Gel electrophoresis system Standard electrophoresis system
Buffer TAE
DNA stain SYBR Safe
Gel images
Protocol notes

Results
Wolbachia presence No
Confidence level Medium
Explanation of confidence level

The BLAST results produced a 99.82% match, which strongly supports the identification but leaves a small margin for uncertainty. The controls also behaved as expected, further supporting the reliability of the data. The positive fruit fly control produced a clear Wolbachia band at the correct size, confirming that the PCR reagents and conditions were functioning properly. The negative control showed no bands, indicating that contamination did not occur. The arthropod sample displayed a strong COI band, demonstrating that both the DNA extraction and amplification of insect DNA were successful. However, no Wolbachia band was detected in the sample. The confidence level is best described as moderate due to the slight deviation from a perfect BLAST match.
Wolbachia 16S sequence
TGCAGAGTACAATCCGAACTGAGATGTCTTTTAGGGATTAGCTTAGGCTTGCGCACCTTGCAACCCATTGTAGACACCAT TGTAGCACGTGTGTAGCCCACTCCATAAAGGCCATGATGACTTGACATCATCCCCACCTTCCTCCAGCTTATCACTGGCA GTTTCCTTAAAGTACTCAGCATTACCTGATAGCAACTAAGGATGAGGGTTGCACTCGTTGCGGGACTTAACCCAACATCT CACGACACGAGCTGACGACAGCCATGCAACACTTGTGTGAAATCCGGCCGAACCGACCCTATCCC
BLAST at The Wolbachia Project   BLAST at NCBI
Arthropod COI sequence
ACAGGTAAAGATAATAAAAGTAAAATTGCTCGTAATTAAAACAGATCATGTAAATAAAGGTAAAAAATTTAATGAATGGG TTTTAATATGTATATTTAAAATTGTTACAATAAAATTAATAGCTCCTATAATGGATGAAATTCCAGCAATATGAAGAGAA AAAATTGATAAATCAACAGAAGGTGAATTATGTCCAATATTTGAAGATAAAGGTGGGTATAAAGTTCATCCTGTTCCTAC TCCTATTTTTATTATGTTTCTTATAATAAGCAAAAATAATGAGGGTGGTAAAAGTCAAAATCTTATATTATTTATTCGTG GGAAAGCTATATCAGGGGCTCCAAGTATTATAGGAATTAATCAATTTCCAAAACCTCCAATTATAAATGGTATAACTATA AAAAAAATTATTACTAAAGCATGGGCTGTAATAATTGAATTATAAAATTGATCATTATTAATAATTGAAGATGGTGTTCC TAATTCTAATCGAATTATTAATCTTAAAGATGTACCAATTATTCCAGCTCAAAGTCCAAAAATAAAATATA
BLAST at The Wolbachia Project   BLAST at NCBI
Summary The Arthropoda was found to be negative for Wolbachia.
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