''Vespula consobrina'', commonly known as the blackjacket (not to be confused with ''
Dolichovespula maculata
''Dolichovespula maculata'' is a species of wasp in the genus '' Dolichovespula'' and a member of the eusocial, cosmopolitan family Vespidae. It is taxonomically an aerial yellowjacket but is known by many colloquial names, primarily bald-faced ...
'', which is also called “blackjacket”), is a species of stinging wasp in the family
Vespidae
The Vespidae are a large (nearly 5000 species), diverse, cosmopolitan family of wasps, including nearly all the known eusocial wasps (such as '' Polistes fuscatus'', '' Vespa orientalis'', and ''Vespula germanica'') and many solitary wasps. Eac ...
,
[ which includes multiple cousin species in the northern hemisphere, such as the German yellowjacket][ and other social wasps.
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Appearance
Queen blackjackets are 17mm in size, while female workers are 10-12mm and males 15-16mm. Blackjacket wasps can easily be identified in the wild by their distinct black and white striped pattern on their abdomen and the white and black coloration.
Habitat and distribution
Blackjackets can be found in all of Canada except Nunavut and in the northern states of the United States. They usually build their nests in abandoned rodent burrows, rotten or fallen trees, and hollow walls and rock cavities. They mostly stay in forested areas, and they rarely come into contact with people.
References
Further reading
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Vespidae
Articles created by Qbugbot
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