Quarantine-species
Guides
Vespinae
Hornets and Yellowjackets
Vespinae is a subfamily of eusocial wasps within Vespidae, encompassing the largest and most familiar social wasps. The subfamily includes true hornets (genus Vespa), yellowjackets (genera Dolichovespula and Vespula), and the poorly known nocturnal genus Provespa from Southeast Asia. These wasps construct paper nests from chewed wood fibers and exhibit complex colonial organization with queen-worker caste differentiation. Several species have become invasive beyond their native ranges, posing significant threats to apiculture and native ecosystems.