Yellow jackets and paper wasps are common stinging insects often seen around homes and gardens. While they are related, yellow jackets are not paper wasps. Both belong to the family Vespidae, meaning they share a common lineage and build nests from chewed wood fiber. Understanding the differences in their anatomy, nesting habits, and behavior is important for proper identification.
Taxonomy and Grouping
Both yellow jackets and paper wasps are classified within the same taxonomic family, Vespidae, which encompasses all social wasps and hornets. This classification explains their similar paper-making habits and general appearance. The difference occurs at the genus level, separating them into distinct biological groups.
Yellow jackets are members of the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula. Paper wasps belong to the genus Polistes, comprising numerous species across the globe.
Distinctive Features of Yellow Jackets
Yellow jackets are characterized by their compact, stout body shape, sometimes mistaken for bees. They have a very short, almost non-existent petiole connecting the thorax and abdomen, giving them a stocky appearance. Their coloration is typically a vibrant, highly contrasting pattern of bright yellow and black banding.
They build intricate nests made of papery pulp, which are always enclosed within a protective outer envelope. Nests are often found in concealed locations, most commonly underground in abandoned rodent burrows or inside voids like wall cavities and attics.
Distinctive Features of Paper Wasps
Paper wasps possess a much more slender and elongated physique, often described as having a “thread-waist.” Their long hind legs noticeably dangle below their body during flight, which is a reliable visual identifier. The coloration of many Polistes species is less intensely yellow and black, often featuring tones of brown, red, or muted yellow.
Paper wasps construct their nests in open, exposed areas, typically suspended from a single stalk (pedicel) under eaves, porch ceilings, or branches. The nest has a distinctive umbrella shape. The hexagonal cells where the young develop are completely visible from below, as there is no paper envelope covering the structure. These colonies are generally much smaller than those of yellow jackets.
Behavioral Differences and Risk Assessment
Yellow jackets exhibit a more aggressive nature than paper wasps, especially during the late summer and fall. They are scavengers, attracted to human food sources like sugary drinks, picnic scraps, and garbage. They will readily sting repeatedly, even without strong provocation when foraging, making them a nuisance around outdoor dining areas. Yellow jacket colonies can grow to several thousand workers, which contributes to their high-risk defense of the nest.
Paper wasps are less aggressive and are primarily predators of pest insects like caterpillars. They generally only sting defensively when their nest is directly disturbed or physically handled. Since their nests are open and exposed, accidental physical disturbance is the most common trigger for a defensive sting response.