[6] As an obligate social parasite, this species has lost the ability to build nests, and relies on the host workers to raise its brood.

[7] P. semenowi females use brute force, followed by chemical mimicry in order to successfully usurp a host nest and take over as the queen.

[2] It also has a more square-shaped head, which is hypothesized to have evolved from the need for robust muscles to power the larger mandibles.

[4] A typical paper wasp nest resembles a papery material, and is made of saliva and fibers from wood and plants.

[6][14] Because P. semenowi is an obligate social parasite, its cycle depends heavily on that of its host species P. dominula, also known as the yellow paper wasp.

P. semenowi has an annual cycle, and it has been shown that parasitic members only stay in the host nests for around 50 days.

[7] After emergence of the P. semenowi reproductive individuals, mating occurs, and fertilized females overwinter while males die off.

This means that they lay their eggs in the nests of other species and influence the host into providing the parental care for their young.

P. semenowi has lost the ability to take care of its own young,[7] so if an overwintering female fails to find a host nest to usurp, she leaves no offspring.

One hypothesis is that the larva have 'hungry signs', much like in cuckoo birds, that manipulate the host workers into thinking they are still hungry.

[2] Since food supply during the larval stage dictates which caste a wasp will become,[16] this manipulation of host workers is essential to P. semenowi because all larvae need to emerge as reproductives.

[3] In addition to usurpation restlessness, which occurs seasonally, P. semenowi females show hyperkinesis, or extra activity, in the middle of each day.

When the P. semenowi female enters the host nest for usurpation, she aggressively fights with the alpha P. dominula.

If the usurpation is successful, the alpha P. dominula loses its dominant position, and is replaced by the P. semenowi female.

Dapporto et al. hypothesized that the queen suppresses the reproductive capabilities of the other females using chemical signaling.

In comparison with unparasitized control nests, subordinate females under a parasite queens laid more eggs.

P. semenowi is a permanently workerless species, and cannot take care of its own brood, and so relies on P. dominula workers to do this for them.

[14] Chemical mimicry is thought to occur due to the presence of an enlarged Van der Vecht's organ on the abdomen of P. semenowi queens.

[20] P. dominula, unlike many other social wasps, is known as a very generalist predator, and is both opportunistic and very flexible in selecting their prey.