Western yellowjacket

Description:

The western yellowjacket shares the basic yellow and black pattern with other species of social wasps in the genus Vespula. As a result, it is often misidentified. Specifically, it closely resembles V. germanica. Though both species have a similar diamond-shaped black mark on the first tergum, V. pensylvanica can usually be differentiated by the continuous yellow ring (often referred to as an eye-loop) present around each eye.[2] The eye-loop is not always present, however. Though few females lack this distinguishing characteristic, males often do not have the eye-loop. In such cases, V. pensylvanica can be identified by a spotted mark on the frons below the antenna, a slender aedagus, and a denser apical region of tergum 7. The fore wing length ranges from 8.5-10.5 mm for workers, 12.5-14.5 mm for females, and 12.5-14.0 mm for males.[7] Western yellowjackets build large nests made of wood fibers, enclosed in a hexagonal paper envelope with a small 10– to 30-cm entrance tunnel at the bottom.[2][8][9] Nests are usually found 10–15 cm below ground or in other dark cavities, such as rodent burrows.-Wikipedia

Habitat:

Spotted eating on a dead snake at a farm near Redmond, Washington.