Eastern Yellowjacket

Vespula maculifrons · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Vespidae

Can sting. They can sting people repeatedly, causing painful stings.

Source: Wikipedia, hgic.clemson.edu, animaldiversity.org, ask.ifas.ufl.edu

Eastern Yellowjackets are 0.5 to 0.63 in long and weigh about 0.04 g. They build nests underground, in tree stumps, attics, or sometimes aerially, and are common in forests, creek banks, and urban areas (-). They are attracted to sugary foods, meats, and other human foods, and their nests near homes can be a nuisance (-).

Source: Wikipedia, ask.ifas.ufl.edu, hgic.clemson.edu, animaldiversity.org

How to recognize it

The wasp has black and yellow stripes on the head, thorax, and abdomen. Queens have a broad black band near the thorax followed by thinner black bands toward the rear.

Source: Wikipedia, animaldiversity.org

Is it a pest in the house?

They often nest near homes and can become a source of irritation. Yellowjackets are attracted to carbonated drinks, juices, candy, meat, cakes, fruit, vegetables, and ice cream. Queens may enter houses seeking winter shelter. They can raid beehives in fall to steal honey.

Source: Wikipedia, ask.ifas.ufl.edu, hgic.clemson.edu, animaldiversity.org

Does it bite or sting?

They defend their nests aggressively and can deliver painful stings. Stings are a leading cause of anaphylaxis among hymenopterans. Their smooth stinger can be used repeatedly. Only females have a stinger on the rear of the abdomen.

Source: Wikipedia, ask.ifas.ufl.edu, hgic.clemson.edu, animaldiversity.org

How to get rid of it

For underground nests, enlarge the cavity and drop soil away from the entrance. Apply insecticide at night when foragers are inside the nest. If the nest is large or hard to reach, hire a professional pest-control operator.

Source: Wikipedia, hgic.clemson.edu, ask.ifas.ufl.edu

Where it lives

Nests are usually underground but can also be in tree stumps, attics, or aerial sites (-).

Source: ask.ifas.ufl.edu, Wikipedia

Life cycle

Colonies contain hundreds to thousands of individuals and show typical vespid social structure with queens, workers, and overlapping generations (-).

Source: Wikipedia

When you see it

In spring the queen selects a site for a new colony.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it comes from

The species is native to eastern North America and reaches as far west as the Great Plains (-).

Source: Wikipedia

Lookalikes

Vespula squamosa is a facultative parasite of V. maculifrons and can be distinguished by color patterns. Honey bees are larger, hairy, and have pollen baskets, unlike yellowjackets (-).

Source: Wikipedia, ask.ifas.ufl.edu, hgic.clemson.edu

Where it is found in the US

Recorded in 40 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Virginia, New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.

Source: GBIF

Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist

Months it is reported in the US

JFMAMJJASOND

Source: GBIF

More photos

Eastern Yellowjacket photo 3 — Photo: psweet, CC BY-SA

Eastern Yellowjacket photo 4 — Photo: psweet, CC BY-SA

Eastern Yellowjacket photo 5 — Photo: unknown, CC0

Eastern Yellowjacket photo 6 — Photo: Steven Bodzin, CC BY

Questions people ask

How can I get rid of a yellowjacket nest?

Treat the nest at night with a labeled insecticide or enlarge the entrance and drop soil away, and call a professional if the nest is large or hard to reach.

Source: Wikipedia, hgic.clemson.edu, ask.ifas.ufl.edu

Do Eastern Yellowjackets sting people?

Yes, they can sting repeatedly and the stings can be painful and cause allergic reactions.

Source: Wikipedia, hgic.clemson.edu, ask.ifas.ufl.edu

Where do they build their nests?

Mostly underground, but also in tree stumps, attics, or occasionally aerial sites.

Source: ask.ifas.ufl.edu, Wikipedia

What do they look like?

They have black and yellow stripes on the head, thorax, and abdomen; workers show alternating bands, while queens have a broad black band near the thorax followed by thinner bands.

Source: Wikipedia, hgic.clemson.edu, animaldiversity.org