Dolichovespula albida

(Sladen, 1918)

Arctic Yellowjacket

Dolichovespula albida, commonly known as the Yellowjacket, is a in the . 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 without a , consisting only of reproductive females and males; historically confused and closely related
  • Dolichovespula arenariaLarger, black and that D. arctica parasitizes; D. albida may be confused with this species due to shared characteristics

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