Dolichovespula albida

(Sladen, 1918)

Arctic Yellowjacket

Dolichovespula albida, commonly known as the Arctic Yellowjacket, is a social in the Vespidae. It is closely related to other Dolichovespula species such as D. arctica and D. arenaria, with which it shares ecological and behavioral traits. The species is primarily associated with northern and high-elevation . Like other members of its , it constructs paper nests and exhibits social colony with distinct .

Dolichovespula albida by (c) Matt Muir, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matt Muir. Used under a CC-BY license.Dolichovespula albida by (c) Jason Grant, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jason Grant. Used under a CC-BY license.Dolichovespula albida by Matt Muir. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Dolichovespula albida: /dɔˌlɪkoʊˈvɛspjʊlə ælˈbaɪdə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

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Habitat

High-elevation coniferous forests; northern and subarctic regions. The appears to be limited to coniferous forest at higher elevations in more southern portions of its range.

Distribution

Alaska; Canada (excluding Nunavut); northern United States; south along major mountain ranges to Kentucky, Georgia, Arizona, and California. European records include Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, and Norway.

Similar Taxa

  • Dolichovespula arcticaBoth are black and white without a , consisting only of reproductive females and males; historically confused and closely related
  • Dolichovespula arenariaLarger, black and yellow that D. arctica parasitizes; D. albida may be confused with this species due to shared characteristics

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