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Vespidae
Yellowjacket is the common name in North America for predatory wasps of the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula. Members of these genera are known simply as "wasps" in other English-speaking countries. Most of these are black and yellow; some are black and white (such as the bald-faced hornet, Dolichovespula maculata), while others may have the abdomen background color red instead of black. They can be identified by their distinctive markings, small size (similar to a honey bee), their occurrence only in colonies, and a characteristic, rapid, side to side flight pattern prior to landing. All females are capable of stinging. Yellowjackets are important predators of pest insects
Dolichovespula species (for example, the aerial yellowjacket, Dolichovespula arenaria, and the bald-faced hornet, Dolichovespula maculata) tend to create exposed aerial nests (a feature shared with true hornets, which has led to some confusion as to the use of the name "hornet"). Vespula species, in contrast, build concealed nests, usually underground. Yellowjacket nests usually last for only one season, dying off in winter. The nest is started by a single queen, called the "foundress". Typically, a nest can reach the size of a basketball by the end of a season. In parts of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and southwestern coastal areas of the United States, the winters are mild enough to allow nest overwintering. Nests that survive multiple seasons become massive and often possess multiple egg-laying queens
Many other insects exhibit protective mimicry of aggressive, stinging yellowjackets; in addition to numerous bees and wasps (Müllerian mimicry), the list includes some flies, moths, and beetles (Batesian mimicry). --through research at the german-wikipedia, i found " Tree wasp, Dolichovespula sylvestris" which i suspect to be/was these exoskeleton.
2 Comments
hi CindyBinghamKeiser, to be honest , i dont know what really happend. but because the exoskeleton was almost unharmed, just disconnected, it could not have fought to death (naja- the end section of the tail,usually where the sting is, was disapeard) stung some-one\/thing. just fallen out !!? It was laying onder tree in the grass. I found this specimen in particulare relativ big. maybe just old or queen. After it had died,it must have ben dried out or has been cleaned up.. .
Nice detailed spotting. Any idea what happened?