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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) » Western Yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica)
Photo#252811
Western Yellowjacket - Vespula pensylvanica
Copyright © 2009 Robert L. Pearson

Western Yellowjacket - Vespula pensylvanica
Skull Valley, (WSW of Prescott 10 miles), Yavapai County, Arizona, USA
March 2, 2008
Size: ca 22 mm
Found dead trying to winter ? at the base of an asparagus plant.

Images of this individual: tag all
Western Yellowjacket - Vespula pensylvanica Western Yellowjacket - Vespula pensylvanica
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Contributed by Robert L. Pearson on 10 February, 2009 - 5:04pm

Mortality rate is very high
Among overwintering wannabe queens in most Yellowjacket species. More than the freezing cold itself (most species withstand temperatures well below freezing point), contamination by fungal or bacterial diseases causes these untimely deaths.
Barely one female out of 20 survives the winter in V. germanica and V. vulgaris.
… Richard Vernier, 10 February, 2009 - 9:17pm login or register to post comments

 
Over winter mortality
Thanks Richard Vemier for your information. I could see on the specimen what looked like small threads attached to it's carcass. Some still visible in the image.
… Robert L. Pearson, 10 February, 2009 - 9:35pm login or register to post comments

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