Yellowjacket wasp

Yellow Jackets (Wasp)

Binomial Name:  Vespula spp.Live wasp isolated on white background

Identification:

  • Overall Length:  Adult worker is 12-18mm
  • ColourAdult worker is black and yellow

Life Cycle:  The fertilized queen can usually be found over-wintering inside buildings or wood piles.  Males, un-mated females and the old queens will die by late fall.

BehaviourYellow jackets prey on other insects but can also scavenge.  Since they forage over long distances it is often difficult to locate their nests which may be home to more than 3000 wasps.

Signs of Infestation:  A colony is established by the queen in a hollow stump, below ground in a cavity, in a wood pile, a hollow tree or other protected voids such as an attic.