Yellowjacket wasp

Forests, gardens, meadows, urban areas, and buildings; nests occur underground, in wall voids, attics, or sheltered structures.

Adults eat sugars from nectar, fruit, and human foods. They hunt insects and chew them into protein-rich food for larvae.

Social, colony-forming wasps active mainly in daylight. Colonies are annual, and workers can defend nests aggressively with repeated stings.

Stings are painful and may cause severe allergic reactions; scavenging around food creates nuisance risks. They benefit ecosystems by controlling caterpillars and other insects and by providing limited pollination.