Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Dolichovespula arctica is a junior synonym
Size
Queens: 18mm; males 15mm.
Identification
A black and white (or pale yellow) wasp with brown-tinted wings. Normally, abdominal segments 1-5 are bordered, posteriorly, with a narrow white band (Figs A). The large dark gap (oculo-malar space) between the eye and the yellow jaw (Fig B) places this species in the genus Dolichovespula and thus separates it from all of the Yellowjackets in the genus Vespula.
AB
Queens
The only queens in the guide are from NB and thus these probably do not cover the range of variation that may be present in this species. In 4 of 7 specimens I have seen, the pale band on posterior border of the 1st
urotergite is very thin and interrupted in the mid-line (Figs A, C) . In the other 3 queens, there is no pale band visible on the dorsal surface of the 1st urotergite. All 7 have a narrow pale band laterally on the 1st urotergite (Fig D). The pale bands on segments 2, 3, 4 and 5 are interrupted by black extensions from the anterior of the segments. Isolated black spots are present on segments 4 & 5 (Figs A, C, D, E). One queen (Fig E) has 2 minute yellow spots on the last segment that are not visible in this photo but can be seen under a lens. All others have large yellow spots laterally on last segment (Figs A, D). The 1st antennal segment is yellow ventrally, and the lower margin of the front (
clypeus) has acute angles on its lower margin (Fig B)
CDE
Males
Currently there is 1 male from NH and 3 from NB in the Guide. Best recognized by the very pale bands on the segments that are almost interrupted by black points (Figs A, F, G).
F
G
Range
Newfoundland & Labrador to Alaska, south to Virginia and then south to Georgia in the mountains; in the west south to California and New Mexico; absent for much of the mid-west.
Life Cycle
A parasite of
D. arenaria and
D. norvegicoides and thus has no worker
caste. The workers of the 2 host species rear the
larvae of the parasite.
Remarks
Similar Species
The Parasitic Yellowjacket is one of 5 black and white/pale yellow Yellowjackets. One of these, the Baldfaced Hornet, has an entirely black 2nd
tergite and thus can be readily separated from the Parasitic (Fig H - queens, Baldfaced, Parasitic, Blackjacket)). Another 2,
Dolichovespula norwegica and
Vespula intermedia have reddish patches laterally on the tergites. Reddish patches are absent in the Parasitic. The species most easily confused with the Parasitic is the Blackjacket.
H
Parasitic (D. adulterina) vs Blackjacket (V. consobrina)
In the Parasitic the pale posterior bands are almost interrupted in the midline by extensions from the black anterior bands whereas in the Blackjacket there is no such extension (Figs H. I). Also, the Blackjacket queens have pure black antennae, in Parasitic queens the 1st antennal segment is extensively yellow (Fig J). In both queens and males there is a big difference in the width of the oculo-malar gap between the 2 species: wide in Parasitic (it's in the genus Dolichovespula) and narrow in the Blackjacket (a Vespula).
IJ
Parasitic (D. adulterina (was arctica)) vs Arctic (D. norwegica (was albida))
Richard Vernier supplied the following comments to separate queens of Northerns (=Parasitic) and Whites (=Arctic):
- the small black space between the two white spots on the temple (upper) and the
gena (lower) (Figs D, E), smaller than the lower white spot separates queen Northerns from queen Whites. A
D. albida queen would have a distinctly larger black interspace, larger than the lower white spot (just like the
D. norvegicoides also in this guide). Moreover, this lower white spot is often very small or even lacking in
D. albida.
- the extension of the white on the
pronotum, particularly along the front carina (Fig C), also separates queen Northerns from queen Whites.
D. albida queens would have only a straight, linear stripe, just like
D. norvegicoides except the white color.
Also note the thickness of the
genae and the incomplete, limited to the lower part, black stripe on the
clypeus (Fig B).
D. albida has one identical to
D. norvegicoides, i.e. complete.
The patterns on the
urotergites, especially the first almost lacking white and the diverging lateral lobes on the second, are also typical for
D. arctica (Figs A, C, E). In this respect too,
D. albida much more resembles
D. norvegicoides.
Mr Vernier commented on the difference between the males:
albida has the head and thorax covered with denser, longer and all black hairs, less white on the legs, and a reddish tinge at least on the
femora (of the legs).
