Dolichovespula arenaria (Fabricius, 1775)

Vespinae, Vespidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia

Matthew P. Kweskin

2 Feb 1997

Identification- D. arenaria is yellow and black. It can be differentiated from D. norvegicoides, the only other yellow and black wasp of the genus Dolichovespula in our area, by abdominal and genal markings. In D. arenaria the genal area is usually continuous yellow where as in D. norvegicoides it is interrupted by black. The posterior margin of the first (and sometimes second) gastral tergum of D. arenaria is broken by black medially. (In the picture of the abdomen shown here the second tergum is barely broken medially by black). In D. norvegicoides the posterior margins of terga one and two is continuous yellow.

Geography- The occurence of D. arenaria is limited to North American, where is has a transcontinental boreal distribution. On the West coast, it is found from Alaska to southern California. It is also found in the Southwest U.S. and the Central and Northern part of the East coast of the U.S. This species has been collected in Olympia, Washington.

Natural History (Akre et al., 1980)- D. arenaria is considered a common yellowjacket. This species usually has aerial nests, but they occasionally nest under ground. D. arenaria usually forages for live prey.

Page author: Matthew P. Kweskin kweskm@evergreen.edu
Last modified: 2 Feb 1997