ScientificName: Vespula pensylvanica
Description: 1-inch, yellow bodies with black markings, clear-brown wings and thick, black antennas.
Habitat/Food: Yellowjackets build paper nest below ground or behind walls. They feed on other garden insects. If their nest is disturbed, they will aggressively defend it by stinging the intruder.
Life Cycle: These wasps are members of the paper wasp family. Only the fertilized female survives winter and starts a new colony in the spring. They build their nest to house their larvae, which they feed chewed insects until they can contribute to the colony on their own. These wasps become a nuisance to humans late in the season when they are scavenging for meat and sweets.
Organic Control: Plant oil based products can be used as effective control. There are also some organic aerosol sprays available.
Interesting Fact: The female yellow jacket wasp lays both fertilized and unfertilized eggs. Female workers develop from the fertilized egg and male drones develop from the unfertilized egg.