Stats

Lifespan: Annual colony
Size: Small
Diet: Omnivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Colony
Biome: Temperate woodland
Range: Europe
Movement: Flight
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Venom
Status: Common

About

The German yellowjacket is a social wasp that builds papery nests from chewed wood pulp, often concealed underground or inside wall cavities. A single colony can swell to over 3,000 workers by late summer, each capable of stinging repeatedly to defend the nest.

Life cycle

1.
egg
A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2.
juvenile
An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3.
subadult
A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4.
adult
Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Vespidae
Genus: Vespula
Species: Vespula germanica