Yellowjacket
A yellowjacket is a common name for several species of social wasps in the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula.
A yellowjacket is a common name for several species of social wasps in the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula. They are known for black-and-yellow banding, paper nests, and a predatory-and-scavenging diet. Yellowjackets are widespread in the Northern Hemisphere and are often encountered near human food and nesting sites.
Classification and naming
Yellowjacket is the common name used mainly in North America for social wasps in the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula. Sources describe them as members of the family Vespidae in the order Hymenoptera.
Appearance and behaviour
Yellowjackets are typically bee-sized with black-and-yellow markings, a narrow waist, and smooth bodies. They are social insects that live in colonies and may defend nests aggressively.
Nests and life cycle
Many yellowjackets build paper nests from chewed wood fibres, often underground in abandoned burrows or inside wall voids and other sheltered cavities. Colonies are seasonal in many regions, though some species can persist longer in milder climates.
Diet and ecological role
Yellowjackets prey on caterpillars and other insects, including species that can be pests, and they also scavenge on nectar, fruit, and human food. This makes them both beneficial predators and common nuisance insects.
Human interactions
Yellowjackets are often noticed around outdoor food and garbage because of their scavenging habits. Their stings can be painful and may cause severe allergic reactions in sensitive people.
Key facts
- Yellowjackets are social wasps, not bees.
- The name refers to multiple species rather than a single insect.
- They commonly build paper nests underground or in wall voids and other cavities.
- They are predators of insects and also scavenge sugary foods and garbage.
- Yellowjackets can sting repeatedly and will defend their nests aggressively.
Yellowjackets are common in Canada and are familiar to Canadian readers as summer wasps that nest near homes, parks, and outdoor eating areas.
Frequently asked questions
Are yellowjackets bees?
What do yellowjackets eat?
Where do yellowjackets build nests?
Can yellowjackets sting more than once?
Are yellowjackets dangerous to humans?
Why are they called yellowjackets?
References
- Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/animal/yellow-jacketSupports: Yellowjacket as a common name for multiple social wasp species in Vespula and Dolichovespula; general description and range.
- Missouri Department of Conservation — https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/yellowjackets-vespula-waspsSupports: Family Vespidae, order Hymenoptera, paper nests, subterranean nesting, and predatory habits.
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources — https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/yellowjackets-and-other-social-wasps/Supports: Scavenging on human food and garbage, nest locations, and sting risk.
- Michigan State University — https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/yellowjacketsSupports: Underground and cavity nesting habits and common species around structures.
- Washington State University — https://entomology.wsu.edu/outreach/bug-info/yellow-jacket-wasp/Supports: Genus Vespula in the wasp family Vespidae and aggression of common species.
- Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station — https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/caes/documents/publications/fact_sheets/entomology/yellowjackets_vespidae.pdfSupports: Yellowjackets as social insects, beneficial predators and scavengers, and common black-yellow markings.