Vespula is a genus of social wasps, widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. Along with members of their sister genus Dolichovespula, they are collectively known by the common name yellowjackets (or yellow jackets) in North America. Vespula species have a shorter oculomalar space (shown in the figure below right) and a more pronounced tendency to nest underground than Dolichovespula.

Notable species

• While most species of this genus inhabit North America, four Vespula species inhabit Europe, namely V. austriaca, V. germanica, V. rufa, and V. vulgaris.

• Two common European species, the German wasp (V. germanica) and the common wasp (V. vulgaris), have established in other countries; both species are now found in New Zealand, Australia, and South America, while the former has also been introduced in South America, and the latter in Southern Africa.

• The eastern yellowjacket (V. maculifrons) and western yellowjacket (V. pensylvanica) are native to North America.

Species

• Vespula acadica (Sladen, 1918) – forest yellowjacket

• Vespula akrei Landolt, 2010

• Vespula alascensis Packard, 1870 – Alaska yellowjacket

• Vespula arisana (Sonan, 1929) – Taiwan yellowjacket

• Vespula atropilosa (Sladen, 1918) – prairie yellowjacket

• Vespula austriaca (Panzer, 1799) – red cuckoo wasp

• Vespula consobrina (Saussure, 1854) – blackjacket

• Vespula flaviceps (Smith, 1870)

• Vespula flavopilosa Jacobson, 1978 – downy yellowjacket

• Vespula germanica (Fabricius, 1793) – German wasp, German yellowjacket

• Vespula inexspectata Eck, 1991 – volcano yellowjacket

• Vespula infernalis (Saussure, 1854) – cuckoo yellowjacket

• Vespula ingrica Birula, 1931 – grey yellowjacket

• Vespula intermedia (Buysson, 1904–05) – northern red-banded yellowjacket

• Vespula kingdonwardi Archer, 1981

• Vespula koreensis (Rad., 1887)

• Vespula maculifrons (Buysson, 1905) – eastern yellowjacket

• Vespula nursei Archer, 1981

• Vespula orbata (Buysson 1902)

• Vespula pensylvanica (Saussure, 1857) – western yellowjacket

• Vespula rufa (Linnaeus, 1758) – red wasp

• Vespula shidai Ish., Yam., Wagn., 1980

• Vespula squamosa (Drury, 1770) – southern yellowjacket

• Vespula structor (Smith, 1870)

• Vespula sulphurea (Saussure, 1854) – California yellowjacket

• Vespula vidua (Saussure, 1854) – long yellowjacket or widow yellowjacket

• Vespula vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758) – common wasp, common yellowjacket

See also:

• Paravespula, a subgenus of Vespula

Venom

The venom of Vespula is mostly composed of antigen 5, hyaluronidase, and phospholipase.

Immunology

A high degree of similarity occurs between immunogenic fractions of different Vespula species. Rabbit serum antibodies are unable to distinguish between them.

References

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