(subgenus Dolichovespula) and is not a scavenger. Nests (fig. 210) are typically 
built in trees, low brush, or just above ground in vegetation, not beneath the 
ground. Thus they would not be picnic pests unless their nest was built on or very 
close to the picnic table. 
Courtesy Conn. Agric. Exp. Stn. 
Figure 210.—Nest of the yellowjacket wasp, Vespula 
arenaria. 
The eastern yellowjacket, V. maculifrons (subgenus Vespula), along with V. 
squamosa (Drury), may be the two most troublesome species in the Eastern United 
States (778). V. maculifrons also occurs in southeastern Canada. Adults of V. 
maculifrons are black and yellow with black predominating. The legs are yellow 
with the femora partly black. Nests are usually built in the ground, frequently in 
yards, and may attain very high densities in recreational areas. This species also 
inflicts severe stings and it often attacks in force when its nest is endangered. It is a 
common species around picnic tables where it is often a nuisance. The adventive 
species, V. germanica (L.), nests above ground and commonly builds its nest in 
attics and walls of homes. 
Vespula squamosa is the most common yellowjacket from central Georgia into 
Florida and probably along the Gulf Coast. This species was recently found to be a 
social parasite of V. maculifrons (779) and the extent of its scavenging habits is still 
in question. A discussion of various methods of control of yellowjackets and their 
effectiveness has been published (778). 
The genus Polistes contains the familiar wasps whose nests are so frequently 
encountered hanging under the eaves of buildings and in a variety of other places. 
They differ in appearance from the hornets and yellowjackets in having long and 
spindle-shaped abdomens. The nest consists of a single comb suspended by a 
peduncle, and it is not enclosed in an envelope. It is usually rather small, although 
437 
