Females are larger than males in mass and size. They grow to approximately 25mm in length with the queens growing to 35mm. They have red-orange wings, a yellow and brown striped abdomen, and a hairy thorax. This carnivorous wasp feeds on other wasps, moths, beetles, mantises, and dragonflies. They are defensive of their nests and tend to be aggressive near food sources. This wasp avoids conflict but they will sting if you accidentally step on them or grab them. They were introduced to the United States in the early 1940s. They are native to Europe and are the only true hornet found in North America. European Hornet European HornetĮuropean Hornets (Vespa crabro) are the largest eusocial wasps. The nests are found below the ground, often in rodent burrows. They construct large nests made of wood fibers with a small entrance located at the base. They can have a wing length of 10.5mm in workers, 14.5mm in females, and 14mm in males. They also have a spotted mark just below the antennae. The identifying factor is that this wasp has a continuous yellow ring around each eye. This wasp shares the same yellow and black pattern as other species and is often misidentified. They have become invasive in the Hawaiian Islands and are considered a serious pest. Populations are known to explode in warm weather. The Western Yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica) is native to North America, especially in temperate areas. Western Yellowjacket Western Yellowjacket They resemble hornets and yellowjackets.įemales are larger than males and are considered the largest wasps found in the eastern United States. The abdominal section is marked with light yellow stripes. They are robust, hairy, and have black on their thorax. They are commonly encountered in the eastern and Midwest United States, Central America, and Mexico. It is a large solitary wasp that preys on cicadas in North America. This wasp (Sphecius speciosus) is often referred to as the cicada hawk or the cicada killer. Eastern Cicada-killer Wasp Eastern Cicada-killer Wasp They are the only wasp species with yellow on their legs in the United States. They have black eyes and antennae with yellow legs. They have a black petiole and the thorax has yellow markings. The Yellow-legged Mud-dauber Wasp (Sceliphron caementarium) is also known as the black and yellow mud dauber inside the United States. Yellow-legged Mud-dauber Wasp Yellow-legged Mud-dauber Wasp They are constructed of decaying wood that is fragile. Nests accommodate thousands of workers with large nests having up to 15,000 cells. They can grow to 16mm in body length and weigh approximately 0.04g. Queens are the largest, followed by males, and then workers. These wasps have black and yellow lines on their abdomen, head, and thorax. They will aggressively defend their hive against any threats. They are social wasps, living in colonies that comprise hundreds of individuals. Eastern Yellowjacket Eastern YellowjacketĮastern Yellowjackets (Vespula maculifrons) are common in eastern North America and are often seen nesting in buildings and recreational areas. The body is made up of black and yellow bands. There is very little variation among individuals with males having a wingspan of 13mm and females having a wingspan of 12mm. Dominant females are the egg layers with subordinate females being the workers. The European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula) is the most common black and yellow wasp you will encounter.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |