# Downy Yellowjacket (*Vespula flavopilosa*) The Downy Yellowjacket is a small, buzzing insect known for its bright yellow and black stripes. They live in nests and can often be seen flying around flowers and food during the summer. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Downy Yellowjacket](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Vespula_flavopilosa_560749378.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vespula_flavopilosa_560749378.jpg) ## Appearance The Downy Yellowjacket is a medium-sized wasp with striking yellow and black bands across its abdomen. It has a distinctive black anchor-shaped marking on its yellow face and fine, yellowish hairs that give it a slightly fuzzy appearance, differentiating it from other smooth-bodied wasps. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Vespidae - **Genus:** Vespula ## Interesting facts - Downy Yellowjackets help control garden pests by hunting other insects. - Only the queen yellowjacket survives winter to start a new colony in spring! - These tiny wasps build amazing paper nests by chewing up wood fibers! - They sometimes try to share your sweet picnic drinks and sugary snacks! ## Special abilities - **Stinging Defense:** Downy Yellowjacket can deliver a painful sting because of a barbed stinger that helps them defend their nest. - **Colony Communication:** Downy Yellowjacket has special chemical signals, called pheromones, that help them alert the colony to danger or food. - **Paper Architect:** Downy Yellowjacket can chew wood fibers into pulp that helps them build intricate, multi-layered paper nests. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 20-35 mm - **Size:** 10-17 mm - **Lifespan:** 15-45 days - **Flight Speed:** 20 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 5000 ## Diet & Feeding They eat both sweet nectar for energy and protein-rich insects to feed their young. - **Age differences:** Larvae are fed chewed up insects, while adults primarily consume sugary liquids. - **Primary Foods:** nectar, fruit sap, flies, caterpillars, spiders - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Striped Skunk (*Mephitis mephitis*) — Digs up nests to eat larvae and adult wasps. - **Hunts:** Cabbage White Butterfly (*Pieris rapae*) — Hunts caterpillars to feed its growing young in the nest. - **Pollinates:** [Canada Goldenrod](https://www.snappit.app/explore/canada-goldenrod) (*Solidago canadensis*) — Visits flowers for nectar, incidentally transferring pollen. ## Traits - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Be careful around yellowjackets; they can sting if they feel threatened. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Downy Yellowjacket? Compare the antennae, wings, waist, body hair and legs. Yellow and black stripes show up on bees, wasps and harmless mimics alike. Bee & Wasp Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Downy Yellowjacket's wingspan? 20-35 mm ### How big is Downy Yellowjacket? 10-17 mm ### How long does Downy Yellowjacket live? 15-45 days ### How fast can Downy Yellowjacket fly? 20 km/h ### What does Downy Yellowjacket eat? They eat both sweet nectar for energy and protein-rich insects to feed their young. ### Where is Downy Yellowjacket usually found? Urban areas ### How does Downy Yellowjacket hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Bellevue Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellevue-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Ocean Drive Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ocean-drive-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Downtown Waterbury Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-waterbury-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Overlook Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/overlook-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District [View all places to see Downy Yellowjacket](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/downy-yellowjacket) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Downy Yellowjacket: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/downy-yellowjacket)