Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#1566392
Parasitic yellowjacket - Dolichovespula arenaria

Parasitic yellowjacket - Dolichovespula arenaria
Keene, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, USA
July 29, 2018
From what I can tell, it seems like this might be a nest of Common Aerial Yellowjackets (D. arenaria) with Parasitic Yellowjackets (D. arctica) mixed in. A week or two ago, only one or two yellowjackets would be outside working on the nest, but lately more and more of them have been congregating outside the nest -- any reason for that?

Images of this individual: tag all
Parasitic yellowjacket - Dolichovespula arenaria Parasitic yellowjacket - Dolichovespula arenaria

Moved

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Awesome!
I agree with your determination. The D. arenaria pictured in both photos seem to be entirely male, showing an interesting array of colorations (some xanthic, some melanic. at least two with queen-like patterns) which is great to have in the guide. I would guess that possibly both the D. arenaria and D. arctica queens dissapeared, leaving the arenaria workers to raise the remaining arctica brood as well as their own infertile eggs, resulting in all of the males seen here. This is just a speculation though, it is always difficult to tell what is happening inside the nest. Usually when they congregate outside like this, the nest is pretty much dead inside and the adults are starving and preparing to leave.

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.