common aerial yellowjacket

not listed

NNR - Unranked

not listed

Common aerial yellowjacket is a medium-sized, predatory, social wasp. It occurs throughout North America north of Mexico. It is one of the most common aerial yellowjackets in eastern North America. It is common in Minnesota. In natural areas, its nests are found in trees and shrubs. In urban and suburban areas, its nests are frequently found on buildings.

Adults are ⅝″ to ¾″ long and are black with bright yellow markings. The body is stout and slightly wider than the head. The head and thorax are densely covered with long erect hairs. The abdomen is less hairy.

There are two large compound eyes, one on each side of the head, and three small simple eyes (ocelli) at the top of the head between the compound eyes. The ocellar triangle is very close the the rear margin of the head. The gap is less than the length of the ocellar triangle. The gap between the jaw (mandible) and the compound eye is broad, about two times the diameter of one ocellus. The top of the head (vertex) between the compound eyes is entirely black—there is no yellow “eye loop”. There is a yellow band behind each compound eye. It is continuous to the mandible, not interrupted, but is usually narrowed or notched in the middle. The area below each compound eye (ocular sinus) is mostly yellow. The face is yellow with a single black spot in the middle. The spot is variable in size and shape. The upper lip (clypeus) is broadly cut off, more or less notched at the tip. The antennae are thread-like, black above, and yellow below. They have 12 segments on the female, 13 segments on the male. On the male, each segment near the tip has two long narrow glands in the underside.

The front part of the body (mesosoma) includes the thorax and the first segment of the abdomen. The thorax is mostly black with yellow markings. The exoskeletal plates on the upper side of the thorax, from front to rear, are the pronotum, scutum, scutellum, and metanotum. The pronotum extends back to the small plate covering the base of each forewing (tegula). The hind angles are not lobed. There is an elevated ridge (carina) around the sides and front of the pronotum. It is yellow and is interrupted at the apex (nearest to the head). The tegulae are yellow. The scutum is usually entirely black. Occasionally there is a pair of short longitudinal lines near the rear margin. The lines, when present, are thin, poorly defined, and sometimes barely visible. The scutellum is rectangular and much wider than long. It has a pair of broad yellow spots on the front margin. The metanotum is narrow and has a pair of narrow spots. On each side of the thorax, the plate on the second segment (mesopleuron) has a large yellow spot at the top.

The abdomen of the female has six segments, while that of the male has seven segments. The upper plate (tergum) of each abdominal segment is black and yellow, sometimes mostly black, sometimes mostly yellow. The front margin is black. The rear margin is yellow and is deeply notched in the middle. There is a pair of black spots on terga 2 through 6 (T2 through T6) on the female, T2 through T7 on the male. The black on the front margin often extends into the black spots. On T1 there is no pair of black spots. On T1 and T2 the yellow is very deeply notched and usually interrupted in the middle of the rear margin.

On the male the tip of the abdomen is rounded.

The wings are smoky and clear. The hindwing does not have a lobe (anal lobe) at the base.

The legs are yellow. The fourth segment (tibia) of the middle leg has two spurs at the tip. The last part of each leg (tarsus), corresponding to the foot, has five segments. There is a claw at the end of the last segment. The claw tapers to a point. It is not divided at the tip.

Total length: ⅝″ to ¾″

Late May through October (CCESR)

The forewings are folded when at rest.

Workers of this species are able to spray venom in the presence of a threat. This is thought to release pheromones that attract other workers to attack the threat.

In the spring a queen emerges from hibernation, mates, and chooses a nesting site. In early summer she builds a papery nest above ground into which she deposits eggs.When the eggs hatch she feeds the young and continues laying eggs. These young become workers and take over the care of new young and the expansion of the nest. Nest size peaks in mid-summer and dwindle in size through the late summer and fall. The nest is large and the cells are completely enclosed within the outer envelope. In Minnesota the nests do not survive the winter. Males die soon after mating. Old queens and workers are killed by cold weather in the fall, while new queens hibernate.

Pre-chewed fragments of caterpillars and other soft-bodied insects.

Live arthropods, including caterpillars and lady beetles; young hummingbirds; plant nectar; juices of ripe fruits.

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82.

Common in Minnesota

Alfredo Colon
8/26/2022

Location: Albany, NY

Location: Albany, NY

Location: Woodbury, MN

Location: Woodbury, MN

Location: Woodbury, MN

Location: Woodbury, MN

Location: Woodbury, MN