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August 31, 2021
Ben here with the Tuesday edition of #BenInNature presented by our friends at Carter Bank & Trust!
This week we're looking at some of the stinging insects that call Virginia home. Today's entry should be instantly familiar to most folks out there, although probably not in a good way: this is the eastern yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons)!
Eastern yellowjackets are wasps that are found from eastern North America west to the Great Plains, and they generally (but not always) build their nests underground. Like the paper wasps we looked at yesterday, the nests are constructed from wood pulp mixed with saliva. The nests are usually built just a couple inches underground, although they may also be built nearly a foot beneath the surface. Also like the paper wasps we looked at yesterday, the nests are seasonal; once winter comes, the nest dies out, and only a few queens will survive to the next year by overwintering until the following spring and starting a new nest.
These wasps have a pretty varied diet and they frequently hunt for insects both alive and dead. They can also obtain carbohydrates from fruit and nectar, which is why they're often attracted to your sugary soda on a summer day. While they're pretty adept at eating pest insects that plague a lot of our favorite ornamental plants, they also have a bad tendency to build nests near our homes. If you've ever run over the entrance to a yellowjacket nest with your lawnmower, you know what an unpleasant experience that can be!
ABOUT #BenInNature
Social distancing can be difficult, but it presents a great opportunity to become reacquainted with nature. In this series of posts, Administrator of Science Ben Williams ventures outdoors to record a snapshot of the unique sights that can be found in the natural world. New updates are posted Monday - Friday, with previous posts highlighted on the weekends. This series of posts is made possible thanks to the support of VMNH Corporate Partner Carter Bank & Trust (www.cbtcares.com).
NATURE PHOTO IDENTIFICATIONS
If you discover something in nature that you would like help identifying, be sure to message us right here on Facebook with a picture (please include location and date of picture) and we'll have our experts help you identify it!
