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German Yellowjacket

 

Vespula germanica (Fabricius, 1793) -- Hymenoptera:  Vespidae

 

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       This wasp became established in the North American from the 1970s to 1980s and reached southern California about 1991.   Other Vespula species of Vespula are not considered to be pests.

 

       Vespula. germanica has acquired more diverse habitats in which to nest, which gives rise to higher population densities.   The strain that occurs in California has a habit of nesting in attics or in the walls of buildings.  The proximity to humans makes this species a greater public health threat.  Solitary founder queens overwinter in protected places and start new colonies in a structural cavity in the spring.  After the first brood of workers the queen becomes nestbound as the colony rapidly increases in size.  The nest is constructed of a papier-mβchι like substance that surrounds tiers of developing wasps.  By July or August there may be more than 4,000 wasps in the nest, which may reach 2 feet in diameter.  Guard wasps attack if the nest is disturbed.

 

       No deaths have been attributed to the German yellowjackets, but their numbers intimidate people in urban areas.  These are the wasps that disturb people everywhere outdoors, and they actively seek out spilled sodas at eateries, etc. The wasps scavenger behavior near humans increases sting potential.  Avoidance is probably the best tactic for control.  It is especially important to avoid contact with their nests.  Wasps are especially provoked by human proximity to their nests and will attack in large numbers, causing death in susceptible individuals.

 

REFERENCES:

 

Archer, M. E.  1985.  Population Dynamics of the Social Wasps Vespula vulgaris and Vespula germanica in England.  Journal of Animal Ecology. 54 (2):  473–485.

 

Archer, M. E.  2014.  The Vespoid Wasps (Tiphiidae, Mutillidae, Sapygidae, Scoliidae and Vespidae) of the British Isles.  London: Royal Entomological Society. p. 61.

 

Coelho, J. R.  1995.  Load-lifting capacities of three species of yellowjackets (Vespula) foraging on honey-bee corpses.  Functional Ecology. 9 (2):  171–4.

 

D'Adamo, Paola.  2007.  Foraging behavior related to habitat characteristics in the invasive wasp Vespula germanica.  Insect Science. 14 (5):  383–8.

 

D'Adamo, Paola.  2009.  Flexible Foraging Behavior in the Invasive Social Wasp Vespula germanica.  Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 102.

 

Gambino, Parker.  1995.  Dolichovespula (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), Hosts of Aphomia sociella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).  Journal of the New York Entomological Society. 103 (2):  165–9.

 

Goodisman, Michael.  2001.  Hierarchical genetic structure of the introduced wasp Vespula germanica in Australia.  Molecular Ecology. 10 (6):  1423–32.

 

Goodisman, Michael.  2002.  Mating and reproduction in the wasp Vespula germanica.  Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 51 (6):  497–502.

 

Harris, R. J.; C. D. Thomas & H. Moller.  1991.  The influence of habitat use and foraging on the replacement of one introduced wasp species by another in New Zealand.  Ecological Entomology. 16 (4):  441–8.

 

Hurd, Christine.  2007.  Temporal polyethism and worker specialization in the wasp, Vespula germanica.  Journal of Insect Science. 7 (43):  1–13.

 

Kasper, Marta.  2008.  Colony characteristics of Vespula germanica in a Mediterranean climate. Australian Journal of Entomology. 47 (4):  265–274.

 

Kovac, H. & A. Stabentheiner.  2012.   Does size matter?  Thermoregulation of 'heavyweight' and 'lightweight' wasps (Vespa crabro and Vespula sp.).  Biology Open. 1 (9):  848–856.

 

Legner, E. F.  1995.  Biological control of Diptera of medical and veterinary importance.  J. Vector Ecology 20 (1):  59-120.

 

Lozada, Mariana.  2011.  Past Experience: a Help or a Hindrance to Vespula germanica Foragers?.  Insect Behavior. 24.

 

Masciocchi, Maite.  2010.  Competition for food between the exotic wasp Vespula germanica and the native ant assemblage of NW Patagonia: evidence of biotic resistance?.  Biological Invasions. 12 (3):  625–631.

 

Matheson, R.  1950.  Medical Entomology.  Comstock Publ. Co, Inc.  610 p.

 

Pasquet, Alain; Julien Cardot & Raymond Leborgne.  2007.  Wasp Attacks and Spider Defence in the Orb Weaving Species Zygiella x-notata.  Journal of Insect Behavior. 20 (6):  553–564.

 

Sackmann, Paula; Mauricio Rabinovich & Juan Carlos Corley.  2001.  Successful Removal of German Yellow Jackets (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) by Toxic Baiting.   Journal of Economic Entomology. 94 (4):  811–16.

 

Service, M.  2008.  Medical Entomology For Students.  Cambridge Univ. Press.  289 p

 

 Whiting, P. W.  1935a.  Sex determination in bees and wasps.  J. Heredity 26:  263-78.

 

Whiting, P. W.  1935b.  Sex determination in bees and wasps.  Quart Rev. Biol. 20:  231-60.