Yellow jackets are often mistaken for bees due to their similar size and distinct black-and-yellow coloration. The immediate answer is that yellow jackets are not bees; they are a specific type of social wasp. Understanding this biological distinction is important for predicting their behavior, identifying their nests, and safely managing interactions.
The Definitive Answer: Yellow Jackets are Wasps
The classification of yellow jackets as wasps is based on their formal placement within the scientific hierarchy of insects. Yellow jackets belong to the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula, which are part of the family Vespidae, commonly known as the “true wasps.” This family is placed within the order Hymenoptera, which also includes bees and ants. Bees, in contrast, belong to a separate lineage within Hymenoptera, specifically the superfamily Apoidea, which contains the family Apidae that includes honey bees and bumble bees.
Key Differences Between Wasps and Bees
Visually distinguishing a yellow jacket from a bee involves observing key differences in their morphology. A yellow jacket has a smooth, shiny body with few visible hairs, whereas bees, such as honey bees and bumble bees, are notably fuzzier, with dense hairs that help them collect pollen. Yellow jackets also possess a very slender connection between the thorax and abdomen, often called a “wasp waist,” which is distinctly narrower than the thicker, more robust body of a bee.
Dietary differences set the two groups apart. Bees are herbivores, feeding their larvae almost exclusively on nectar and pollen collected from flowers. Yellow jackets, however, are predatory and omnivorous, feeding their young on chewed-up insects, spiders, and other arthropods, while adults consume sugary substances. This predatory behavior means yellow jackets are often seen scavenging protein from human food sources like picnic scraps and garbage.
The structure of the stinger is a major practical difference. Female yellow jackets have a smooth, unbarbed stinger, which allows them to sting multiple times. Most honey bees, by contrast, have a barbed stinger that tears away from their body upon stinging, resulting in the bee’s death shortly thereafter.
Yellow Jacket Behavior and Colony Life
Yellow jackets are eusocial insects that live in large, annual colonies, which are established each spring by a single queen. These colonies grow rapidly throughout the summer, often housing thousands of workers by late August or September. Unlike honey bees which use wax, yellow jackets construct their nests out of a papery material made from chewed wood fibers mixed with saliva.
The location of these paper nests varies by species. Species in the genus Vespula typically build their nests underground in existing cavities, while those in Dolichovespula may build aerial nests in trees or under eaves. This concealed nesting behavior often leads to accidental disturbance by humans, triggering a defensive swarm. The workers are highly territorial, especially when their nest is threatened.
The change in their foraging behavior contributes significantly to human encounters in the fall. In the spring and early summer, worker yellow jackets primarily hunt protein to feed the developing larvae. Once the colony stops producing new young in late summer, the need for protein decreases, and the workers shift their focus to finding easily accessible sugars. This search for sweet substances causes them to investigate soda cans, fruit, and other sugary human foods, making them a nuisance during outdoor activities.