Blog WotD About Glossary

Defensive

Guides

Dolichovespula maculata
Bald-faced Hornet, Bald Hornet, White-faced Hornet, White-tailed Hornet, Spruce Wasp, Blackjacket, Bull Wasp
Dolichovespula maculata is a social wasp native to North America, commonly known as the bald-faced hornet despite being a yellowjacket rather than a true hornet (genus Vespa). It constructs large, enclosed paper nests suspended from branches or structures, with colonies reaching 400–700 workers—the largest recorded in its genus. The species is immediately recognizable by its black body with white facial markings and white banding at the abdomen tip. Workers are aggressively defensive of their nests and can spray venom toward intruders.
social-wasp yellowjacket aerial-nester paper-nest predator defensive annual-colony North-America
Polistes dominula
European Paper Wasp
Polistes dominula is a highly successful invasive social wasp native to Eurasia that has established populations across North America, South America, New Zealand, South Africa, and other regions. First detected in North America near Boston in 1978, it has become one of the most abundant wasps on the continent. The species builds small, exposed paper nests in protected locations and preys primarily on live insects, particularly caterpillars. Unlike yellowjackets, it does not scavenge for meat or sugar. Its rapid spread has been attributed to ecological flexibility, superior competitive ability, and tolerance of human-altered environments.
invasive-species social-wasp paper-wasp predator pollinator urban-ecology eusocial nest-construction biological-control thermal-biology spatial-learning vibrational-communication aposematism honest-signal overwintering diapause Polistes Vespidae Hymenoptera North-America Europe New-Zealand South-Africa South-America monarch-butterfly caterpillar-predation nest-architecture gyne foundress dominance-hierarchy climate-change-impact energetics metabolic-rate microclimate suburban-habitat anthropogenic ornamental-pest vineyard-pest fruit-damage stinging-insect venom poison-gland warning-coloration Zahavian-signal Strepsiptera parasitoid Xenos behavioral-plasticity foraging learning memory thermoregulation ectothermy endothermy solar-radiation nest-temperature brood-development colony-survival multiple-founding single-founding season-length latitude temperate Mediterranean hibernacle overwintering-costs climate-warming range-expansion competition native-species-displacement biodiversity-impact conservation management control integrated-pest-management IPM identification antennae-color facial-markings caste reproduction male female sexual-dimorphism antennae abdomen wing mandible saliva paper comb cell pedicel trophallaxis larva pupa adult worker queen subordinate dominant aggression defense threat-display sting toxicity brightness coloration predator-avoidance prey caterpillar Lepidoptera butterfly moth garden agriculture vineyard orchard urban suburban rural forest habitat-preference temperature metabolism quiescence torpor survival fitness colony nest population abundance distribution range expansion invasion establishment introduction biotic-interaction trophic-cascade herbivory-suppression plant-fitness milkweed Danaus-plexippus monarch Nelson Tasman ecosystem-impact conservation-management biological-invasion ecology behavior physiology morphology taxonomy systematics nomenclature gender-agreement Latin Christ 1791 Vespa-dominula basionym catalogue-of-life GBIF iNaturalist observation citizen-science photography illustration field-guide orange black yellow red color-pattern size wing-length body compact legs short face square triangular dark curled straight elbowed blunt pointed tip Zahavian costly-signal hunt forage nectar honeydew aphid scale-insect flower grape umbellifer fennel lovage insect meatball feed emerge chew cap hexagonal wood-fiber bark exposed open umbrella stalk ant repellent substance coat protect location eave attic tree branch vine shrub cavity bird-box bee-hive shed grave-lantern overwinter shelter protected thermal climate cold winter spring summer autumn fall season month day activity defend threat display raise tiptoe social dominance hierarchy reproductive egg lay found cooperate compete selfish passive-aggressive individual recognition facial-marking cognition mushroom-body brain intelligent artist architect navigation plasticity spatial relocating food resource dish bait training experience vibration communication signal substrate-borne abdominal wagging oscillation secretion modulation perceive react movement attention feeding inspection body-temperature ambient solar radiation metabolic cost energetic expenditure efficiency warming change impact increase invasive spread success competitive ability flexibility adaptation reaction response condition year variation productivity founding single multiple rate benefit cooperation predation parasitism vesparum stylopid stylopization parasite host infestation mite Acari wasp fly effect community decline Danaus plexippus mortality instar early late larger smaller vulnerable resistant discovery chance contact direct recruitment nestmate site cascading trophic cascade herbivory suppression plant growth production Asclepias net exclusion experiment outcome suggestion strong detrimental ecosystem strategy method development protection biodiversity region first 2016 recent established exotic congener chinensis longer comparison higher lower greatest area built structure native unsuccessful translocate unable thrive warmer origin contributor factor research thesis insight behaviour knowledge direction aid effective journal publication DOI 10.26686 wgtn 14538585 v1 University Wellington Victoria MSc student dissertation study investigation analysis data field resident report local indirect interaction level function service provision natural pest biocontrol ornamental decorative crop damage fruit cherry western Colorado at least ripening choice preference height ground strata microsite environment closed habitat dense vegetation surrounding bush Patagonia Argentina Chile NW detected 2003 sympatric coexistence overlap minimal facilitation behavioral process interspecific semi-urban poorly studied species Hypodynerus labiatus new light finding contribution understanding collecting anthropized highlight importance consideration Ethology 10.1111 eth 13505 abstract only limited detail full text required comprehensive synthesis vibrational widespread regulate crucial conspicuous oscillatory wag strictly associated presence suggested involvement adult-larva hypothesis short-term trophallactic exchange modulate salivary decrease amount prepare receive stimulate release electro-magnetic shaker assess time record measure immediately after playback result show produce possibly order attract during neither nor support alleged role long-lasting Experimental Biology 10.1242 jeb 186247 flexible system expanding North America cause stir fast upon explanation present literature good invader northern rise little known nesting Central investigate basic principle Germany 49°group one to four small shorter than other mean newly founded 83 average length 4.6 prefer 54%46%major increased 47%single-foundress whereas 100%more two however no number term per observe well three consecutive greatly depending preceding imply remarkably quickly outside rapid colder Ecosphere 10.1890 es15-00254 1 thermoregulatory polistine different collect demand brood mainly ectothermic task living differing reveal environmental influence warm Southern infrared thermography entire usually ~20–40 °C nearly linearly thorax warmest part achieve optimal preferably use model enable evaluation endothermic effort exhibit weak almost constant performance about contrast mostly minor avoid high way reduce Insects 10.3390 insects10070187 trait strongly Comparative B 10.1007 s00360-016-1041-x provided gallicus insects14110849 adverse weather offer low sheltered live energy store Italy Austria describe calculate according standard differ significantly between 3.2 ±5.71 8.5 5.29 variance correspond closely meteorological cumulative mass-specific over period lowest compared both acclimation calculation up 3 due dramatic 40%additional exponentially temperature-dependent fluctuation disproportionately Jensen's inequality wooden bird box empty bee hive under grapevine grave lantern cemetery begin when exceed ~18–20 confidence note information inferred from active not discussed this source association addressed relationship insects14110886 thermophilic originating but now widely quite synanthropic human settlement place with favorable typical side wasps'wide ~20–37 above air advantage as accelerate speed did approximately 38.6 managed by cooling near ~1–2 cm always clearly elevated station climate-model-generated macroclimate revealed necessity measuring for reliable description insects'brighter-colored poison gland Frontiers Zoology 10.1186 1742-9994-9-20 aposmatism against consisting warning using toxin costly physical could simultaneously abundant striking such case indicate animal toxic also would ensure honestly examine positive correlation exists collected 30 photographed them volume width remained even controlling suggest pattern true sign poisonous they have theoretical predicting indicates quantitative within acting metabolically therefore limitation first-year Spain exact age unknown ethanol preservation may alter applied uniformly pseudoreplication intraspecific supported while successfully worldwide revisiting previously gathered flight manipulation performed target several visit additionally analyse dealing position whether choose visited containing opt novel baited placed 60 away then train either once or compare taken find displaced demonstrate rapidly learned return certain significant reduction likewise manipulate spending less each moreover offered just majority furthermore contribute behavioural considering marginalis Cape Province South Africa African Entomology 10.4001 003 022 0104 Caucasian Entomological Bulletin 10.23885 1814-3326-2015-11-1-85-89 degree Hungary Natura Somogyiensis 10.24394 natsom 2011 19 229 many European country observed 1993 documentation photograph 5 of examined stylopized these exemplar parasitized 18 strepsipteran specimen some taxon scientific name rank preferred common Wonderful World Wasps Bug Squad Article Chris Alice Kratzer author LinkedIn Photo terrible jam-packed pain anger love us out blue minding own business eat picnic frighten child build home complicate already-stressful life Everyone knows be better without So preface book published company 2020 Owlfly LLC what write believe point essential complicated beautiful Indeed play important provide beneficial Look ma pesticide labor passionate dedicated written conversational tone long admirer supporter who grew Jersey continue remember interacting yes getting stung assorted including come territory become entomologist opted engineer received bachelor science 2019 mechanical engineering Rochester Institute Technology worked York until Today executive director managing division Publishing opportunity develop market sustainable potential mitigation fascinate fold into want why how do if tell building understand cycle organism before trying entangle ecological meaning inquiline called cuckoo exploit young call fact catch dismember tiny waist prevent eating sold fluid primary most grasshopper cricket katydid beetle earthworm lanternfly cockroach spider cicada aren't engineering-trained professional knowledgeably began her 2018 January 25 path included holing Cornell Collection networking expert teaching herself software align genetic barcode spent close thousand hour poring platform identifying mapping studying color incredible 400-page billed guide all arctic Greenland Alaska tropical Panama Grenada cover 208 22 genera feature 900 image macro photographer posting bring back Iowa State Professor Amy Toth's seminar Department Nematology told crowd attack extremely complex fascinating creature coined hashtag wasplove wrote illustrated It variety yellowjacket Eurasian red-banded American blackjacket volcano Guatemalian Eastern widow polka-dot prairie California form downy German knew there 'jackets familiar elaborate know dominulo means mistress implies Introduced 1970s since continent Woman Lynn Kimsey Bohart Museum distinguished telling difference scavenger take particularly serious mention UC Statewide Integrated Program wealth PestNote distinct type far troublesome especially ground-cavity-nesting tend vigorously disturbed Defensive increases progresses scarcer primarily start around garbage can dog cat where ripe overripe accessible large colorful tidbit sprinkle throughout intriguing instance Pennsylvania despite Someone mislabeled original And rated 2/5 painful Schmidt Index Bottom line eye-opener page-turner mind-boggler offers approach belongs library scientist citizen curious person wants incredibly diverse amazing next gathering anti-social folk ask anyone sharing rose Davis Calif thirsty sipping water fountain Agraulis vanillae Vacaville tucked inside Wednesday Cincinnati Ohio among changed recently overtaken counterpart Still United adjacent belong same family horn potter mason boreal cooler decidedly handful reaching rarely exceeding 200 unprotected suspend twig stem semi-protected hang sturdy often coated repel chief construction apparent destined likely determined stage act eventually assert leave performs securing developing offspring harvesting fiber surface dead fence post scrape ball deftly plies strip added existing worth having heavily Webworm grab hairy butcher kill spot stripping off any irritating hair spine easily consumed directly share turn distribute occupy reach maturity spin silken dome top molt shortly thereafter freedom sole fertilize Watch August September easy though genders elbow taper goldenrod Solidago throughwort Eupatorium evident extreme variability pair deep marking vary considerably DNA adding mud situation instead clarifying shown below going lump Enjoy watching unless antagonize give standing tip-toe raising make perfectly peaceful neighbor Posted 2:40 AM Email ThisBlogThis!Share XShare FacebookShare Pinterest Labels nature 6 comment ShandaSeptember 8 2010 5:26 loved get never faced can't wait kid question left end hibernate produced ReplyDelete RepliesReplyOut prairieSeptember 8:02 keeping cabbage worm seen RepliesReplyAnonymousSeptember 13 2:06 PM becoming here Upper Peninsula Michigan pendulum seems swung ago everywhere vanishingly rare haven't again house right RepliesReplyL.R ShimerSeptember 4:35 head gal work everybody else kinda egalitarian RepliesReplyLarryMay 9:34 directed Bev Wigney BTW lived NE Missouri detailed presented Thanks cogent scientifically accurate summary insect's life-cycle RepliesBug EricMay 3:47 kind compliments Delete RepliesReplyReplyAdd commentLoad Blog currently reply reader himself Working resolve Newer Older Subscribe Atom Demonized hosting 4 p.m.Saturday Jan 20 Room 1124 Academic Surge 455 Crocker Lane campus Attendees chat check 50,000 vespid eight-million free friendly Parking estimate 2000 described inhabit 500 undescribed headline-grabbing giant Vespa mandarinia formerly Asian news media dubbed murder hornet confuse identify sheet example hidden rodent burrow wall huge 100,00 will scavenge meat sugar soda hamburger road open-faced commonly located annual die cabbageworm white superb much delivered presentation website interested mechanism evolution honey Current project involve novo sequencing genome transcriptome genomic epigenetic regulating nutrition virus health hold doctorate Illinois Urbana–Champaign Gene Robinson postdoctoral Christina Grozinger unwelcome yard patio Preferring like beneath Sometimes legless grublike outstretched hand 15 relatively unaggressive problem doorway list earlier lepidopteran carry yeast winemaking fermentation flavor wine fuscatus recognize devoted mother dote fury opinion human-like great cooperator overall undercurrent selfishness manifest perfect themselves mushroom learning/memory 10 photogenic peer petal visitor camp Sierra Nevada mountain witnessed stinging crowded table ah sipped wondered says elsewhere which fertilized must warms enough lot protein baby need survived because drier usual deal competing go maintenance mode maintain fuel largely useless started mid trap spraying removed--this done night hollow available nearby hope wet barbecue shy except door window high-traffic Typically mated midsummer phase require cease sweet thing normally mild coastal San Francisco survive informative YouTube video Distinguishing see those distinctive put another Oakland Raiders'logo Giants soaking sun abandoned Pollinators Artists delight overhang neighborhood thought Wow hanging lip trash vanished Twitter associate Organismal