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Palaeovespa florissantia, late Eocene. The Vespidae are a large (nearly 5000 species), diverse, cosmopolitan family of wasps, including nearly all the known eusocial wasps (such as Polistes fuscatus, Vespa orientalis, and Vespula germanica) and many solitary wasps. [1]
Vespula squamosa, or the southern yellowjacket, is a social wasp.This species can be identified by its distinctive black and yellow patterning and orange queen. [1] This species is typically found in eastern North America, and its territory extends as far south as Central America. [1]
Bees (Family: Apidae) Wasps (Family: Vespidae) Name Western honey bee Bumblebee Paper wasp Yellowjacket Bald-faced hornet European hornet Asian hornet; Image Colors Amber to brown translucent alternating with black stripes. [a] Exact pattern and colouration varies depending on strain/breed.
Social wasp colonies are started from scratch each spring by a queen who survives through the winter. Each colony can have up to 5,000 individual insects. Yellowjackets are among the most common ...
Face of a southern yellowjacket (Vespula squamosa)Yellowjackets may be confused with other wasps, such as hornets and paper wasps such as Polistes dominula.A typical yellowjacket worker is about 12 mm (0.47 in) long, with alternating bands on the abdomen; the queen is larger, about 19 mm (0.75 in) long (the different patterns on their abdomens help separate various species).
After emerging from the diapause when winter ends, the fertilized queen searches for a nest site. When it is located, a small nest is formed. The queen continues to forage for construction materials and food until four to seven workers have emerged. At this point, the queen focuses solely on laying eggs and the nest continues to expand.
The queens have also been seen to groom the face and antennae, but only briefly. At the end of copulation, a queen is able to produce an olfactory or contact pheromone to signal release to the male. The queen also begins to nibble the dorsal surface of the male's gaster to further signal the end of copulation. Since both queens and males can ...
To help with identification, a good practice to observe is to first categorize the wasp as worker, queen, or male before identifying it as V. vulgaris or V. germanica. Gastral pattern (the black dots or marks on the abdomen) are highly variable and not good characteristics to use in identifying.