Eastern Yellowjacket

This is the 4th main yellowjacket species in my area and is also a native species. It's the Eastern Yellowjacket. (The other yellowjackets around here include the native Southern Yellowjacket, the (non-yellow, non-hornet) Bald-faced Hornet, and the invasive German Yellowjacket.)

If you think Southern Yellowjackets are jerks, the Eastern Yellowjackets would probably agree with you. A common tactic used by Southern Yellowjacket queens when starting a new colony is to enter an existing Eastern Yellowjacket colony, attack (and if everything goes according to the SYJ's plans) kill the EYJ's queen, and usurp her role as head of the colony. This is called facultative social parasitism. (I'm assuming the existing EYJ workers don't realize they're now working for a queen of another species.)

The EYJ, SYJ, and GYJ are all considered ground yellowjackets due to their normal preference to nesting in the ground (unlike their BFH cousins who are considered aerial yellowjackets). This tendency seems stronger in the EYJ, though even they will sometimes nest within human-built structures. 

Like many yellowjackets, the EYJ will eat small arthropods, scavenge dead animals, and also drink nectar, honeydew, and juice from fruits.

Although they're not especially aggressive when foraging for food, efforts to keep them away from your picnic could trigger a stinging event. And they're definitely aggressive defenders of their nests.


October 16, 2020 in Bridgewater
Photo 102293877, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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