Vulgaris-group
Guides
Vespula alascensis
Alaska yellowjacket, American yellowjacket
Vespula alascensis is a social wasp native to North America, recognized as a distinct species in 2010 after being treated as a taxonomic synonym of Vespula vulgaris for over a century. It belongs to the 'vulgaris group' of yellowjackets, characterized by scavenging behavior and ground-nesting habits. The species is known to occur across northern and western regions of the continent, with confirmed records from Vermont to Hawaii.