Aerial Yellowjacket: Appearance, Territory, Damage and Life Cycle

Latin Name: Dolichovespula Arenaria

Appearance: Yellowjackets are found across the United States in three different sorts or genera.

• Dolichovespula, a genus of aerial nesters
• Vespula, the genus of ground nesters
• Vespa, the genus of hornets

The separation between airborne and ground nesting yellowjackets is not complete. Aerial nesters will occasionally construct ground nests. Ground nesters will occasionally construct aerial nests. With a few exceptions, aerial nesters are mostly northern species. Perhaps this is due to the fact that northern grounds are too cold for nesting most of the year. Adults range in length from 58 to 34 inches and are black with striking yellow patterns. The body is thick and a little broader than the head. Long erect hairs cover the head and thorax abundantly. The stomach is less hairy.

Hosts Plants: Fruit Trees

Territory: The common aerial yellowjacket may be found in both Canada and the United States. It may be found from northcentral Alaska to New Mexico and Arizona. D. arenaria is one of the most prevalent aerial yellowjackets in eastern North America, with nests ranging from arboreal to subterranean.

Damage Insect Cause: Regardless of their nesting patterns, all yellowjackets are dangerous because, being social insects, they dwell in huge numbers and may sting several times without losing their stinger when the nest has to be defended. In most cases, the stings are uncomfortable, and in other cases, they can be fatal. Yellow jackets seldom cause structural damage to homes. They may, however, construct and defend nests in attics or walls. On occasion, the bugs gnaw through drywall to gain access to residential areas. Yellow jackets will defend themselves if they are disturbed while feeding or protecting their hives.

Life History and Habits: Only the queen lives and overwinters in colder areas to restart the nesting process. Nest building may be a year-round enterprise in warmer climes. According to recent media accounts, enormous nests capable of housing hundreds of thousands of yellowjackets have been discovered in various locations of the Southeast. A short inspection of the house and yard reveals that aerial nests can be built in trees, walls, utility poles, or house eaves. Ground nesters do not dig out sites for their nests. Rather, they start with any existing hole, even abandoned rodent tunnels. When they venture above ground, they like to hide in tree cavities.