Polistes apachus is a social wasp native to western North America. It is commonly referred to as the "apache wasp" and is the most common Polistes species found in California. P. apachus establishes itself in vines and orchards, but can also be found in more urban areas. It is a type of paper wasp, which is the common name for a type of wasp that uses a papery material to construct its nests.