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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps » Vespoidea » Yellowjackets, Paper Wasps, and Hornets; Potter, Mason and Pollen Wasps (Vespidae) » Hornets and Yellowjackets (Vespinae) » Vespula » Eastern Yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons)
Photo#48923
Queen - Vespula maculifrons
Copyright © 2006 Steve Scott

Queen - Vespula maculifrons
Dolan Lake State Park, Hamilton County, Illinois, USA
April 15, 2006
Prowling near playground, checking every hole in the ground. Maybe she's looking for a nesting site? If so, not a good omen for the summer fun!
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Contributed by Steve Scott on 22 April, 2006 - 2:14am

Actually...
She was looking for a nesting site. This prowling gait and checking behavior are typical for foundresses of ground-nesting species. Bad omen for the players, but good example of an extensively yellow specimen.
If this can reassure you a bit, less than one female of every nearly 500 will manage to start a colony. Moreover, many foundresses in spring does not mean many nests in late summer: ironically, things can even go the other way.
… Richard Vernier, 22 April, 2006 - 5:01am login or register to post comments

 
Interesting
the complexity of lifecycles and our incomplete knowledge of them is fascinating.
… Steve Scott, 23 April, 2006 - 2:00am login or register to post comments

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