Yellow jackets are common insects. Understanding their appearance is key to distinguishing them from similar insects.
Distinctive Physical Features
Yellow jackets are wasps characterized by prominent black and yellow markings. Worker yellow jackets measure about 0.5 inches (12 mm) long, while queens can be larger, reaching 0.75 inches (19 mm). Their bodies are smooth and appear hairless, contrasting with the fuzzy bodies of many bees.
A key feature is their narrow waist, or petiole, which connects their thorax to their abdomen. The abdomen displays alternating black and yellow bands, with variations in pattern and intensity that can differ between species. They possess six legs and a pair of antennae. When at rest, their front wings are folded lengthwise against their body. Their mouthparts are suited for both chewing insects and sucking nectar.
Key Differences from Look-Alikes
Yellow jackets are often mistaken for other insects, but several characteristics help differentiate them. Honeybees have rounder, stouter bodies covered in dense, fuzzy hairs, which help them collect pollen. Their coloration is a golden-brown or amber with black stripes, rather than the bright yellow and black of yellow jackets. Honeybees also have specialized pollen baskets on their hind legs, a feature absent in yellow jackets.
Bumblebees are another common look-alike, but they are larger, rounder, and much fuzzier than yellow jackets, with broader yellow or orange bands. Paper wasps, while also wasps, have longer, more slender bodies and often dangle their legs during flight. Hornets, close relatives of yellow jackets, are larger overall. European hornets can be up to 1.5 inches long and often have reddish-brown markings in addition to yellow and black. Unlike yellow jackets, some hornets, like the bald-faced hornet, are black and white rather than yellow and black.
Where to Spot Them
Yellow jackets are social insects that build nests from a paper-like material made of chewed wood fibers mixed with saliva. Many species construct their nests underground, often in abandoned rodent burrows or other soil cavities. They also build nests in protected spaces in man-made structures, such as wall voids, attics, or under eaves, and sometimes in dense shrubs or hollow logs.
These insects are often seen foraging near human food sources. They are attracted to a wide range of food sources. In the spring and early summer, they primarily seek protein sources like other insects and meat to feed their developing larvae. As the season progresses into late summer and fall, their dietary preference shifts towards sugary foods, including ripe fruits, flower nectar, tree sap, and human sweets and beverages. This dietary shift often leads them to picnic areas, outdoor dining spaces, and around trash cans where food residues are common.