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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#338640
wasp - Vespula maculifrons
Copyright © 2009 Seb

wasp - Vespula maculifrons
Columbia, on the MKT trail, Boone County, Missouri, USA
September 29, 2009
I've seen these guys on Bur Oak and Catalpa and I've seen them harassing Ceratomia catalpae and trying to land on them but they don't look like the parasitic wasps I've seen so I was wondering if anyone had any explanation for this.
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Contributed by Seb on 29 September, 2009 - 7:16pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Andrew Williams, 29 September, 2009 - 7:34pm login or register to post comments

Yes, V. maculifrons
A social yellowjacket

How big was the caterpillar? I have seen wasps "harassing" caterpillars that are waaaayy too big for them to take.
… Vespula vulgaris, 29 September, 2009 - 7:28pm login or register to post comments

 
The caterpillars were all lat
The caterpillars were all late instars.
… Seb, 29 September, 2009 - 7:56pm login or register to post comments

looks like a Yellowjacket to me
Maybe the Eastern, Vespula maculifrons. This one looks like a pretty good match. Wait for expert though to be sure. --EDIT--
Were there aphids on the plant? I've seen yellowjackets and paper wasps "licking" it off of leaves. I think I see some wet spots on the leaf?

… Andrew Williams, 29 September, 2009 - 7:21pm login or register to post comments

 
It's possible that there are
It's possible that there are aphids as I saw a bunch of ladybug larvae on the oak leaves as well. However, I didn't find any aphids on the catalpa leaves.
… Seb, 29 September, 2009 - 7:57pm login or register to post comments

 
oops - meant honeydew
I used the word "it" when I should have said aphid "honeydew"
… Andrew Williams, 29 September, 2009 - 8:06pm login or register to post comments

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