Vespula
Guides
Sphecophaga
Sphecophaga is a genus of ichneumonid wasps specialized as ectoparasitoids of vespid wasps. Species within this genus parasitize nests of social wasps, with larvae feeding externally on immature wasp pupae. The genus exhibits complex polymorphism in adult forms and cocoon types, and has been widely introduced as a biological control agent for invasive Vespula wasp species. Two recognized species occur: S. orientalis parasitizing Vespa orientalis in the Mediterranean region, and S. vesparum with subspecies in Europe and North America targeting Vespula species.
Vespula infernalis
cuckoo yellowjacket, American cuckoo yellowjacket
Vespula infernalis is an obligate social parasite (inquiline) that invades and usurps colonies of other yellowjacket species, primarily Vespula acadica in North America. Unlike most parasitic wasps, it exhibits intensely aggressive behavior during colony takeover, using specialized morphological adaptations including a large, heavily curved stinger to subdue host workers. The species lacks a worker caste and cannot build nests or rear its own young, instead forcing host workers to feed and care for its brood through dominance behaviors including mauling and forced trophallaxis.
social-parasiteinquilinecuckoo-waspyellowjacketaggressive-parasitismVespulaHymenopteraNearcticboreal-forestVespula-acadicaforced-trophallaxismauling-behaviorcurved-stingerno-worker-casteobligate-parasitismDufour's-glandoogenesis-suppressionfourth-mandibular-toothKimsey-&-Carpenter-2012Vespula-austriaca-sister-speciesshort-flight-seasonJune-to-SeptemberCanadaUnited-StatesAlaskaNew-JerseyMichiganWisconsinNorth-DakotaNew-MexicoArizonaCaliforniastable-populationsubterranean-nestshost-queen-usurpationhost-worker-manipulationreproductive-monopolyvenom-paralyzes-hostsminimal-foragingno-nest-constructionno-thermoregulation-behavioregg-laying-on-comb-exteriorautumn-queen-productionlonger-hibernation-than-hostspreusurpation-phasequeen-reared-worker-stage-invasionpost-emergence-colony-stage-invasionpatrol-behaviorcell-inspectiondominance-assertionevolutionary-strategy-kill-older-workers-firstworker-oviposition-suppressiongastral-draggingoophagy-absenttrophallaxis-solicitationforced-feeding-1-43-secondsvenom-LD50-20-30-mg/kg-workersvenom-LD50-81-mg/kg-queensvenom-not-more-lethal-than-non-parasitic-congenersDufour's-gland-hypertrophyclear-oily-gland-materialreproductive-organs-include-ovaries-poison-gland-Dufour's-glandnew-fall-wasps-empty-glandolder-wasps-flat-gland-with-little-oiloviposition-interrupted-by-workersmauling-response-to-interruption2012-species-recognitionpre-2012-literature-as-V.-austriacaNearctic-endemicboreal-region-specialisthost-nest-size-reductionecosystem-impact-through-host-suppressionChris-Alice-Kratzer-The-Social-Wasps-of-North-AmericaiNaturalist-observationsGBIF-accepted-taxonomyde-Saussure-1854-original-descriptionKimsey-Carpenter-2012-revisionVespidae-familyHymenoptera-orderInsecta-classArthropoda-phylumAnimalia-kingdomspecies-rankcuckoo-yellowjacket-common-nameAmerican-cuckoo-yellowjacket-alternative-name76-iNaturalist-observationsstable-conservation-statusnot-rare-throughout-rangeall-Canadian-provinces-territorieswestern-US-distributioneastern-US-distributionsubterranean-host-nestsrotting-stump-host-nestsenclosed-space-host-nestsqueen-paralysis-during-usurpationworker-injury-during-invasionantennal-damageleg-damagehost-queen-mandible-restrainthost-worker-mandible-defensealarm-pheromone-contextmultiple-stings-limitedbarbed-stinger-presentstinger-loss-during-attackfatal-attack-sacrificevenom-evolution-vertebrate-painSchmidt-Sting-Pain-Index-not-ratedice-treatment-for-stingsallergic-reaction-medical-attentiondesensitization-therapy-availablepest-control-commercial-operatorsaerosol-spray-evening-applicationnest-avoidance-recommendednest-elimination-if-threateningclear-bottles-drink-safetydrink-boxes-straws-childrenpicnic-trash-container-avoidancefood-covering-recruitment-reductiongentle-brushing-vs-swattingalarm-pheromone-releasechemical-attack-signalwalking-away-escape-strategybush-walking-evasion-tacticlate-summer-autumn-aggressioncolony-size-thousands-workersfootball-size-nestsperennial-nests-southern-statesVolkswagen-Beetle-nest-reportsmultiple-queens-perennial-coloniesHawaiian-invasive-V.-pensylvanica-contextGerman-yellowjacket-V.-germanica-contextEastern-yellowjacket-V.-maculifrons-contextSouthern-yellowjacket-V.-squamosa-contextWestern-yellowjacket-V.-pensylvanica-contextpaper-wasp-Polistes-dominula-contextEuropean-paper-wasp-introducedWestern-yellowjacket-not-Pennsylvaniaspecies-name-mislabel-originyellowjacket-diversity-208-species22-genera-social-wasps900-color-illustrations-field-guideiNaturalist-community-science-platformCornell-University-Insect-Collection-researchtaxonomic-paper-readinggenetic-barcode-software-alignment1000-hours-iNaturalist-observationsOwlfly-LLC-publishingmechanical-engineering-backgroundclimate-change-mitigation-focusnatural-pest-control-ecosystem-servicepollination-ecosystem-servicecaterpillar-prey-primary-foodgrasshopper-cricket-katydid-moth-butterfly-beetle-fly-earthworm-lanternfly-cockroach-smaller-wasp-small-spider-cicada-preytiny-waist-liquid-feeding-constraintmandible-prey-dismembermentlarval-secretion-dependency-other-queensV.-infernalis-liquid-food-dependencyhost-worker-secretion-solicitationminimal-larval-solicitationforceful-feeding-foreleg-grabbingcomb-pushing-aggressive-feedingtrophallaxis-intensity-decline-later-stagesworker-escape-forced-encountersshort-trophallaxis-1-5-secondslong-trophallaxis-43-secondsvenom-apparatus-shaft-aculeus-Dufour's-gland-venom-glandsvenom-reservoir-size-largest-femalesDufour's-gland-size-largest-femalesoily-venom-extraction-experimentV.-pensylvanica-worker-venom-testV.-pensylvanica-queen-venom-testvenom-paralysis-flying-impairmentvenom-third-supply-worker-killvenom-queen-kill-more-requiredvenom-lethality-comparable-non-parasitesDufour's-gland-material-no-poisonreproductive-organ-complexpreusurpation-gland-clear-oilynew-fall-wasp-gland-empty-flatolder-wasp-gland-flat-little-oilhypertrophy-evidence-neededoviposition-brief-periodegg-placement-varied-locationsworker-interruption-rare-instanceegg-loss-from-cellbrood-care-host-worker-exclusiveno-parasite-brood-careno-parasite-foraging-behaviorno-parasite-nest-buildingno-parasite-larval-feedingno-parasite-thermoregulation-fanningno-parasite-warming-posturesenemy-attack-parasite-remains-insideno-parasite-nest-defensereproductive-suppression-evidence-multipleworker-oogenesis-halt-substancesoviposition-site-patrollingaggression-reduced-with-suppressionreproductive-monopoly-assertionevolutionary-favorable-strategy-older-worker-eliminationyounger-worker-retention-brood-caredominance-display-early-occupationdominance-display-absent-latermauling-post-trophallaxissolicitation-chasing-initiationrare-foraging-observationno-cell-building-observationno-larval-feeding-observationno-thermoregulation-assistance-observationinternal-nest-retention-enemy-attackworker-oviposition-absence-parasitized-nestsaggression-reduction-expectation-contrastmauling-behavior-reduction-indicationfrequent-aggression-reproductive-monopolycell-patrol-oviposition-defenseDufour's-gland-oogenesis-preventionsubstance-release-gastral-draggingeffective-worker-reproduction-haltnormal-worker-oviposition-aggression-absentparasite-behavior-evidence-synthesismorphological-adaptation-summarybehavioral-adaptation-summaryecological-interaction-summarytaxonomic-history-summarydistribution-range-summaryseasonal-activity-summarylife-history-summaryhuman-interaction-nullconservation-status-stableresearch-needs-Dufour's-gland-hypertrophyresearch-needs-venom-compositionresearch-needs-population-impactfield-guide-coverage-Kratzer-2020observation-platform-iNaturalist-76-recordstaxonomic-authority-GBIF-acceptedoriginal-description-Saussure-1854modern-revision-Kimsey-Carpenter-2012literature-update-lag-pre-2012-sourcessister-species-austriaca-distinctionmorphological-convergence-austriacabiological-convergence-austriacageographic-separation-Nearctic-Palearctichost-specificity-acadica-primaryhost-range-potential-other-Vespulainvasion-timing-queen-reared-worker-stageinvasion-vulnerability-host-nest-stagepost-emergence-colony-stage-alternativehost-defense-worker-aggression-variationhost-queen-aggression-variationparasite-success-factors-morphologicalparasite-success-factors-behavioralparasite-success-factors-timingcolony-takeover-mechanism-physical-combatcolony-takeover-mechanism-chemical-dominancecolony-maintenance-mechanism-behavioral-suppressioncolony-maintenance-mechanism-reproductive-monopolyenergetic-strategy-forced-feedingenergetic-strategy-minimal-investmentreproductive-strategy-egg-placement-variationreproductive-strategy-brief-oviposition-windowdevelopmental-strategy-host-worker-dependencysocial-structure-absence-worker-castesocial-structure-queen-only-parasitesocial-structure-host-worker-exploitationevolutionary-context-inquiline-specializationevolutionary-context-parasitic-wasp-diversityevolutionary-context-Vespula-radiationecological-context-boreal-forest-communityecological-context-host-parasite-dynamicsecological-context-colony-size-impactmanagement-context-nest-avoidancemanagement-context-professional-controlmanagement-context-safety-precautionspublic-health-sting-avoidancepublic-health-allergic-responsepublic-health-venom-toxicityeducation-context-species-recognitioneducation-context-literature-awarenesseducation-context-taxonomic-updates