Stats

Lifespan: A few weeks
Size: Small
Diet: Omnivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Colony
Biome: Temperate forest
Range: North America
Movement: Flight
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Venom
Status: Common

About

A common social wasp of eastern North America, marked with bold yellow-and-black bands and a heart-shaped facial pattern. Colonies nest underground and grow to thousands of workers by late summer, when foragers turn aggressive scavengers at picnics.

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.

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Taxonomy

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