| Eastern yellowjacket | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Vespidae |
| Genus: | Vespula |
| Species: | V. maculifrons
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| Binomial name | |
| Vespula maculifrons (Buysson, 1905)
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| Synonyms | |
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The eastern yellow jacket or eastern yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons) is a wasp found in eastern North America.[1] Although most of their nests are subterranean, they are often considered a pest due to their nesting in recreational areas and buildings.[2] This yellow jacket is a social insect, living in colonies of hundreds to thousands of individuals.[3] Along with their subfamily, Vespinae, this species demonstrates supportive parental care for offspring, separation of reproductive and sterile castes, and overlapping generations.[4] They aggressively defend their hives from threats and are known to inflict painful stings.
- ^ Hoffman, Eric A., Kovacs, Jennifer L. and Goodisman, Michael A. D. (August 20, 2008). Genetic structure and breeding system in a social wasp and its social parasite. BMC Evolutionary Biology.
- ^ MacDonald, J. F.; Matthews, R. W. (1981). "Nesting biology of the Eastern Yellowjacket, Vespula maculifrons (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)". Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 54 (3): 433–57. JSTOR 25084177.
- ^ Yellowjackets and Hornets: Vespula and Dolichovespula spp. (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Grissell, E.E. and Fasulo, T.R. 2007. University of Florida IFAS Extension, pp. 1-5.
- ^ Buck, Matthias; Marshall, Stephen A.; Cheung, David K. B. (2008). "Identification Atlas of the Vespidae (Hymenoptera, Aculeata) of the northeastern Nearctic region". Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification. 5: 20–21, 402–403.