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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Vespoidea » Hornets, Yellowjackets; Paper, Potter, Mason, and Pollen Wasps; and Allies (Vespidae) » Hornets and Yellowjackets (Vespinae) » Ground Yellowjackets (Vespula) » Eastern Yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons)
Photo#2056713
Eastern Yellowjacket - Vespula maculifrons - Vespula maculifrons - female
Copyright © 2021 Silas J. Eckhardt

Eastern Yellowjacket - Vespula maculifrons - Vespula maculifrons - Female
North Church Hill, Richmond, Virginia, USA
September 29, 2021
Size: 1 in.
On Tilia americana (American Basswood) leaf. The tree has an aphid problem. I'm assuming this one's female, given the fact that males don't often leave the nest. I've heard that 90% of the wasps you'll see at flowers/getting food are females. The wasp was energetically (/frenetically?) searching for food, so the photos aren't that great. It just kept moving, so it was hard to focus.

Images of this individual: tag all
Eastern Yellowjacket - Vespula maculifrons - Vespula maculifrons - female Eastern Yellowjacket - Vespula maculifrons - Vespula maculifrons - female Eastern Yellowjacket - Vespula maculifrons - Vespula maculifrons - female Eastern Yellowjacket - Vespula maculifrons - Vespula maculifrons - female
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Contributed by Silas J. Eckhardt on 29 October, 2021 - 5:39pm
Last updated 30 October, 2021 - 8:48pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Silas J. Eckhardt, 30 October, 2021 - 8:48pm login or register to post comments

This one seems to be eating h
This one seems to be eating honeydew from the aphids, the 90% estimate is probably not accurate, most solitary wasps have a more balanced sex ratio, and males of social wasps can outnumber females, especially near the end of the season. A great place to see all kinds of wasps is the extrafloral nectaries under the leaves of catalpa trees. Oops, forgot to mention that this one is indeed female, she has shorter antennae without tapered ends, and 6 abdominal segments.
… Hexapoda, 29 October, 2021 - 6:09pm login or register to post comments

 
Yeah - when I said that part
Yeah - when I said that part about 90% of wasps, I meant Vespids, and specifically hornets/yellowjackets (paper wasps, not so much).

Anyway, the tree, though similar to Catalpa, is I believe American Basswood. Could I post a pic of the leaf in the "Plant Images requiring ID to assist in arthropod identification?"
… Silas J. Eckhardt, 29 October, 2021 - 7:00pm login or register to post comments

 
The tree in your picture is b
The tree in your picture is basswood, I was just mentioning that catalpa attracts lots of wasps. At this time of year, the visiting yellowjackets are mostly males.
… Hexapoda, 29 October, 2021 - 7:08pm login or register to post comments

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