Vespula acadica

The forest yellowjacket (Vespula acadica) is a North American species of eusocial wasp which is part of the "rufa" group within the genus Vespula.

Identification

V. acadica is black with yellow markings. The underside of its scape is yellow, rather than completely black. It os very similar in appearance to V atropilosa but the apex of the middle black region of the second gastral segment is pointed; whereas it is rounded in V. atropilosa.^[1]

Distribution

Boreal North America. In the west from Alaska to southern California, and into the south west United States.^[1] In the east it has a more northerly distribution through the Great Lakes to the east coast as far south as the Carolinas.^[2]

Biology

V,acadica normally builds its nests in decaying vegetation such as logs or leaf piles but aerial nests have been reported but are uncommon.^[3] The entrance tunnels is normally 15 to 25 cm, but can be as long as 40 cm. The deepest subterranean nest found was 15 cm under the surface. A Nest is composed of one worker-producing comb and one to three reproductive-producing combs. The largest mature colony found had a n adult population of 425 workers, 70 males, and 78 queens and had four combs with a total of 1,791 cells. V. acadica workers are known to prey only on live caterpillars, flies, and hemipterans. Many nests play host to the parasitoid Ichneumonid Sphecophaga cocoons, probably S. vesparum burra. A few nests hosted eggs of Fannia spp. on the exterior.^[4]

Due to its preference for forests V. acadica does not normally come into contat with humans; however, when colonies are disturbed, workers of this yellowjacket may be quite aggressive and persistent and sting repeatedly.^[2]

V.acadica is know to be a host for the parasitic V.austriaca.^[2]

Habitat

Forest

Taxonomy

V acadica has been considered a subspecies of V. rufa but it has a wide distribution, structural difference between it and V. vidua and that it maintains its identity even though its distribution is wholly or partially sympatric with other closely related species with in the "rufa" group of Vespula.^[2]

References

<div class="reflist columns references-column-width" style="-moz-column-width: ^{[1] [2]}; -webkit-column-width: ^{[1] [2]}; column-width: ^{[1] [2]}; list-style-type: decimal;">

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 http://academic.evergreen.edu/projects/ants/TESCBiota/kingdom/animalia/phylum/arthropoda/class/insecta/order/hymenoptera/family/Vespidae/Kweskin97/Vespula/acadica/acadica.htm
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Vespula+acadica
3. ↑ Buck, M., Marshall, S.A. and Cheung D.K.B. 2008. Identification Atlas of the Vespidae (Hymenoptera, Aculeata) of the northeastern Nearctic region. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification No. 5: 492 pp. (PDF version).
4. ↑ Miller, C.D.F. 1961 Taxonomy and Distribution of Nearctic Vespula. The Canadian Entomologist Supplement 22

Wikispecies has information related to: Vespula