Yellowjacket wasps
In the US, the term yellowjacket generally refers to social wasps in the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula. While most species of yellowjackets go unnoticed, a few get our attention because they are pests. Problems arise when the wasps seek to share our picnic food or, more importantly, sting us when they see us as a threat to the colony.
Two closely related species Vespula vulgaris (common yellowjacket) and Vespula germanica (European or German yellowjacket) [picture] are probably the most frequently encountered "problem" yellowjackets worldwide. These species build mostly underground nests and have adopted a scavenger habit in addition to the usual predatory lifestyle.
Many researchers feel that the ability to scavenge may account for their relative success over strictly predatory species. It also accounts for their classification as pests. Western North America has an additional scavenger species, Vespula pensylvanica or the western yellowjacket.
Related information: [using yellowjacket traps], [wasp, bee and ant stings], [safely eliminating nests], [frequently asked questions], [European paper wasp]
|