About the Common Aerial Yellowjacket
Dolichovespula arenaria, also known as the common aerial yellowjacket (common aerial yellow jacket), sandhills hornet, and common yellow hornet, is a species of wasp within the genus Dolichovespula widely distributed in the North American continent.
The genus Dolichovespula is in the family Vespidae. In North America, the genus is referred to as yellowjackets. Worldwide, the genus has 18 species, including D. arenaria and other species such as D. albida, D. alpicola, D. saxonica, and D. maculata.
D. arenaria can be identified by the medially interrupted or incised apical fasciae of terga 1 and 2. They are yellow in color and can be differentiated from the other yellow-colored wasps, such as D. adulterina, in its genus by the lack of black markings in the ocular sinus.
In the majority of the population, the ocular sinus is yellow, but some melanic males have a black area that reaches the lower margin of the sinus. The queen has large black discal spots on terga 4 and 5, and smaller ones on terga 2 and 3.
Males can be identified by the larger antenna, spots on their basal band on terga 4 and 5 as well as an abdomen that ends with a flat... Wikipedia →
