Hornet - Dolichovespula maculata

Bald-faced 'hornet'

Dolichovespula maculata is actually a large 'yellowjacket' species, not a true hornet. They prey on flies, so it may have been trying to catch the solider fly.

… Eric R. Eaton, 20 July, 2006 - 6:07pm

Japanese beetles as prey for Dolichovespula maculata?

I have noticed for the past several summers Japanese beetles swarming over the blackberry bushes and peach trees in my yard in Stokesdale, NC (NW Guilford county). I have to spray them with Sevin to get their numbers down so they don't completely defoliate these plants. However, this summer just as their numbers started increasing, I spotted a soccer-ball size paper nest being constructed on a red oak branch by baldheaded hornets (Dolichovespula maculata). The nest was located within 2 to 10 meters of the blackberry bushes and peach trees. I left the nest alone. It may be pure coincidence, but the numbers of Japanese beetles never rose, and in fact, they completely disappeared. I viewed many of the excellent photographs of Dolichovespula maculata taken by contributors to BugGuide and saw that these wasps attack and eat a variety of insects. Does anyone know whether Japanese beetles are prey for these wasps?

… Jim Wilmer, 19 August, 2011 - 3:37pm

If so . . .

. . . it was a clumsy hunter. Thanks for the confo and info.

… Steve Scott, 20 July, 2006 - 7:37pm

hornet

looks to me like you have a baldfaced hornet, Dolichovespula maculata.

… edward trammel, 20 July, 2006 - 1:19am