Downy Yellowjacket
Vespula flavopilosa
This record describes Vespula flavopilosa (species). Recorded family: Vespidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Queen (♀♀) Worker (♀) Male (♂) Workers usually have a large amount of yellow throughout the thorax and abdomen, but melanic (dark) and xanthic (yellow) forms may occur: This very yellow (xanthic) male has proved difficuilt to ID to species; it is either a Yellow-Haired or an Eastern V. maculifrons :
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
- Vespula (Ground Yellowjackets)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Of thirteen colonies found in western Pennsylvania, eleven were subterranean, one was in an exterior wall of a building, and one was beneath a rotten tree stump (B. Coulter, pers. observation).
Geographic Range
e. US south to GA
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Vespula flavopilosa is a somewhat recently discovered species, but so far all known data point to the fact that the species is probably not capable of founding their own colonies. Lone queens during spring will search out young colonies of V. maculifrons or V. alascensis to usurp (Social Parasitism). Examples: MacDonald et al. considered V. flavopilosa to be a facultative temporary social parasite of V. maculifrons and V. alascensis (as V. vulgaris ) based on five mixed colonies from across the range of the species. I am unaware of firm evidence that the species is incapable of founding colonies entirely. -B. Coulter
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Vespula flavopilosa Jacobson, 1978
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Vespula flavopilosa. 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 Downy Yellowjacket (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Tony; Additional contributions by Matthias Buck , Ben Coulter , Vespula vulgaris , v belov , PaleoJon
Frequently Asked Questions About Downy Yellowjacket
What is Downy Yellowjacket?
Downy Yellowjacket (Vespula flavopilosa) is a species in the family Vespidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How do you identify Downy Yellowjacket?
Queen (♀♀) Worker (♀) Male (♂)
Where is Downy Yellowjacket found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Of thirteen colonies found in western Pennsylvania, eleven were subterranean, one was in an exterior wall of a building, and one was beneath a rotten tree stump (B. Coulter, pers. observation). |
| Range | e. US south to GA |
What is the life cycle of a Downy Yellowjacket?
Vespula flavopilosa is a somewhat recently discovered species, but so far all known data point to the fact that the species is probably not capable of founding their own colonies. Lone queens during spring will search out young colonies of V. maculifrons or V. alascensis to usurp (Social Parasitism). Examples: MacDonald et al. considered V. flavopilosa to be a facultative temporary social parasite of V. maculifrons and V. alascensis (as V. vulgaris ) based on five mixed colonies from across the range of the species. I am unaware of firm evidence that the species is incapable of founding colonies entirely. -B. Coulter