#vespinae

[VIDEO TAKEN: SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025 | Video ID: A video of a black and white bald-faced hornet on the side of a bit of wooden railing, collecting wood fibers from off of the surface and holding them in the form of a ball /End ID.]

Vespula germanica worker consuming some iced tea on my hand.

European Bee-Eater & European Hornet | Arcangelo Manoni

ヤブガラシの花に来ていた（たぶん）コガタスズメバチ。

Photo by Rolf Nagel

I GOT HER I GOT HER I GOT HER😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Wasp enjoying the coleus.  One of the few flowers I planted that survived the heat this year.

So many people LOVE to HATE yellowjackets. It is said that they are Satan's insects, that they are the a$$holes of the insect/wasp world, that they are useless, etc. Here's the thing, it's actually totally possible to coexist with them peacefully when you understand the animal and its behaviour. Most people instinctively swat aggressively and wave their arms violently when a yellowjacket is flying around or close to them. To the wasp, that's perceived as aggression, so of course it will get defensive. I understand that it can be intimidating and a bit scary to have a yellowjacket flying so close to your proximity, but I tend to stay still, not make any sudden movements, and the wasp will eventually lose interest and fly away. If need be, I'll slowly put my hand in front of my face to encourage the wasp to land on my hand and not my face if it ever came to that, but I've never had one actually land on my face. I understand that like any animal, they are showing signs of curiosity and are just checking me out. Yellowjackets are actually very important pest control, and also pollinators. I've seen them on all kinds of different flowers such as: Sedum, Sumac, Solidago, Doellingeria, Diervilla, Asclepias, and the list goes on. Featured above, are several different photos/screenshots of myself interacting with yellowjackets, and in every single one of those instances, I have NEVER been stung. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think a lot of the hatred for these wasps is a lack of understanding. If I can interact with them without getting stung, I'm sure other people can as well, they just need to understand the behaviour and body language of these wasps. I would obviously NEVER approach an entire mature nest of yellowjackets, as that would clearly get me stung. They are very protective of their own kind, and their young. But an individual or several individual yellowjackets flying around in my yard or in the wild, are pretty passive, and will only sting as a very last resort. It would be inefficient to waste venom on something so trivial. In conclusion, I think yellowjackets are very misunderstood. I personally think they can be very sweet and neutral in temperament if treated with respect.