Dolichovespula alpicola

Eck, 1984

Rocky Mountain Aerial Yellowjacket

Dolichovespula alpicola is a social in the Vespidae, described by Eck in 1984. It is known from high-elevation in western North America, particularly in coniferous forests of the Rocky Mountains. The belongs to a that includes both independent-founding wasps and social , though the specific of D. alpicola remains poorly documented compared to its .

Dolichovespula alpicola 01 by CBG Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics. Used under a CC0 license.

Dolichovespula alpicola 02 by CBG Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics. Used under a CC0 license.

Dolichovespula alpicola 46794103 by Matt Muir. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Dolichovespula alpicola: //ˌdɒlɪkoʊˈvɛspjʊlə ælˈpɪkələ//

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

Images

Habitat

High-elevation coniferous forest , particularly in mountainous regions of western North America. Associated with alpine and subalpine zones in the Rocky Mountains.

Distribution

Western North America, specifically documented from the Rocky Mountain region including Colorado and adjacent states. The appears restricted to high-elevation areas compared to other Dolichovespula species.

More Details

Taxonomic Status

Dolichovespula alpicola was described by Eck in 1984 and is accepted as a valid in major taxonomic databases including Catalogue of Life and GBIF. It is distinguished from other Dolichovespula species by its restricted high-elevation distribution in the Rocky Mountains.

Data Limitations

Detailed biological information for D. alpicola is scarce in the provided sources. Most available literature on Dolichovespula focuses on better-known such as D. maculata (baldfaced ), D. arenaria (Aerial Yellowjacket), and the social D. arctica and D. adulterina. The specific nesting , colony structure, and ecological relationships of D. alpicola require further study.

Genus Context

Dolichovespula is a of aerial-nesting social . Some are independent founders that construct paper nests in trees and shrubs, while others are social that infiltrate colonies of species. The genus is closely related to Vespula (yellowjackets) but typically builds exposed aerial nests rather than subterranean or cavity nests.