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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps » Ants, Stinging Wasps, and Hornets (Vespoidea) » Yellowjackets, Paper Wasps, and Hornets; Potter, Mason and Pollen Wasps (Vespidae) » Hornets and Yellowjackets (Vespinae) » Vespula » Eastern Yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons)
Photo#325854
eastern yellowjacket chewing grass stem - Vespula maculifrons
Copyright © 2009 Andrew Williams

eastern yellowjacket chewing grass stem - Vespula maculifrons
Overland Park, Johnson County, Kansas, USA
August 23, 2009
Found a yellowjacket colony/burrow/nest made in the ground. Looked like the grass around it had been mowed, actually thought a human had done it, until.. I found this one mowing the lawn.
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Contributed by Andrew Williams on 27 August, 2009 - 5:11pm
Last updated 27 August, 2009 - 8:51pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Andrew Williams, 27 August, 2009 - 8:50pm login or register to post comments

Vespula maculifrons for sure
VERY nice addition to the guide. It shows how colonies do not put up with any debris clogging the entrance to the burrow.

When I used to find colonies of these I would always see them chewing away at sticks, leaves, or anything that blocks their way. Sometimes they would spend hours chewing away at something.

Let me know if you are interested in excavating the nest come November...
… Vespula vulgaris, 27 August, 2009 - 5:50pm login or register to post comments

 
thanks
Appreciate the ID confirm.
I don't think I'd want to dig them up and ruin their hard earned home. Sounds interesting though. Be neat to have a glass view port like the ant farms.
… Andrew Williams, 27 August, 2009 - 8:49pm login or register to post comments

 
All that hard work
and their castle (made of rotten wood and saliva) disintegrates a few months after they are finished with it ; )

Please share more photos if you see any other interesting behaviors like this one
… Vespula vulgaris, 27 August, 2009 - 9:18pm login or register to post comments

 
will do
I didn't think to take a wide angle shot of the whole nest area, so I have to go back. I have some interesting behavior shots to post of them in relation to emerging cicadas. Will try to do that today or this wkend.
… Andrew Williams, 28 August, 2009 - 9:56am login or register to post comments

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