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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 » Vespidae » Hornets and Yellowjackets (Vespinae) » Ground Yellowjackets (Vespula) » American Yellowjacket (Vespula alascensis)
Photo#555555
Which Yellow Jacket? - Vespula alascensis
Copyright © 2011 Arthur Scott Macmillan

Which Yellow Jacket? - Vespula alascensis
Soquel, Santa Cruz County, California, USA
July 22, 2011
The only yellow jackets I've ever identified are V.pensylvanica, however, they seemed smaller with bright yellow markings all around the eyes. Is this some other species?

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Which Yellow Jacket? - Vespula alascensis Which Yellow Jacket? - Vespula alascensis
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Contributed by Arthur Scott Macmillan on 31 July, 2011 - 11:41pm
Last updated 1 August, 2011 - 6:37pm

Moved
Moved from Vespula.
… Vespula Vulgaris, 1 August, 2011 - 6:37pm login or register to post comments

 
Yes!
Thanks, vulgaris! I have been a little embarrassed having captured only one vespula species through the lens.

There are two separate ground nests of these near my yard.
… Arthur Scott Macmillan, 1 August, 2011 - 11:54pm login or register to post comments

 
There are not a lot of Vespula spp in CA
That is wonderful that you have two V. alascensis nests! Their numbers really are sketchy. I haven't seen the species myself in one or two years
… Vespula Vulgaris, 2 August, 2011 - 7:12am login or register to post comments

 
There is this one park in the foothills at about 1000'
There is this one park in the foothills at about 1000'where I remember there being very large yellow jackets (at least everyone called them that). They were quite annoying for picnickers, though no one ever seemed to get stung. It's a private park, but I am going to try to crash the gate one of these days so I can find out what kind of wasp they are. They might be a mud dauber, but they act very yellow jacketish.
… Arthur Scott Macmillan, 2 August, 2011 - 6:08pm login or register to post comments

Vespula alascensis
*
… Vespula Vulgaris, 1 August, 2011 - 6:37pm login or register to post comments

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