Abstract: Polistes mandarinus paper wasps construct multiform nests with plant materials in different environments. We collected 62 paper wasp nests of P. mandarinus from Bomi, Tibet and studied the nesting habits of the wasp from May to August in 2009. P. mandarinus paper wasps construct their nests under the logs of wooden houses using plant fibers and resin in Bomi, Tibet. A total of 42 nests in use were collected. The average number of cells of nests in use is 79.64±65.28 at the end of August, and the average number of pupae in used nests is 13.1±10.68. The average number of cells in 20 empty nests or older nests from the past year is 12.95±3.99. Successful haplometrosis had more than 80 individuals at the end of August. Three nest construction modes (mode 1-3) are used by P. mandarinus paper wasps, of which mode 1, however, is the most common. Paper wasps choose mode 1 most frequently to construct their nests because the nests constructed in mode 1 are most stable. Other two nesting modes are used rarely only when the wasps are short of nesting materials.

Key words: Vespidae, paper wasp, Polistes mandarinus, nesting habit, nest structure