Arctic Aerial Yellowjacket
Dolichovespula albida
This record describes Dolichovespula albida (species). Recorded family: Vespidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Queen (♀♀) Worker (♀) Male (♂) The markings of D. albida are very akin to those of D. norvegicoides apart from being ivory instead of yellow.
Identification notes
Queen (♀♀) Worker (♀) Male (♂)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Vespoidea
- Family
- Vespidae
- Subfamily
- Vespinae
- Genus
- Dolichovespula (Aerial Yellowjackets)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
boreal transcontinental, AK-ME
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Dolichovespula albida (Sladen, 1918)
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Dolichovespula albida. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Arctic Aerial Yellowjacket (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Tony; Additional contributions by cotinis , Beatriz Moisset , Matthias Buck , v belov , PaleoJon
Frequently Asked Questions About Arctic Aerial Yellowjacket
What is Arctic Aerial Yellowjacket?
Arctic Aerial Yellowjacket (Dolichovespula albida) is a species in the family Vespidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How do you identify Arctic Aerial Yellowjacket?
Queen (♀♀) Worker (♀) Male (♂)
Where is Arctic Aerial Yellowjacket found?
Range: boreal transcontinental, AK-ME