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Description
The subfamily Vespinae of the Vespidae, encompasses true hornets and yellow jackets. They are distributed throughout the Holarctic and Oriental regions. The subfamily includes 80 species globally, comprising three genera, the True Hornets (Vespa), Aerial Yellowjackets (Dolichovespula), and the Ground Yellowjackets (Vespula). Two species of Vespula Hornets occur in the U.S., only one occurs in Kentucky; Six species of Aerial Yellowjackets (Dolichovespula) occur in the U.S., four of which are in Kentucky, and thirteen species of Ground Yellow Jackets (Vespula) occur in the U.S., eight are in Kentucky. Vespinae are eusocial, meaning they have well defined castes of queens, workers, and males. They primarily prey on other insects such as dragonflies and caterpillars, but also consume pollen. Vespa and Vespula are cavity nesters, building nests in sheltered locations like abandoned burrows and buildings. Dolichovespula typically builds nests in trees and overhangs of buildings; nests usually include a long, narrow, singular entrance. The colony size can range greatly, from a few hundred (Vespa) to tens of thousands of adults (Vespula). Additionally, Vespinae are social parasites, known as Cleptoparasites, invading nests of other wasps. Their sessile metasoma and moderate to large size distinguish Vespinae from other Vespoid Wasps. Wasps serve as crucial indicators for assessing biodiversity. As an often-underrepresented insect, wasps include thousands of species and provide a variety of ecological roles. Further research into wasps will enhance our understanding of biodiversity conservation and the ecological roles of underrepresented insect species.
Publication Date
4-16-2025
Disciplines
Higher Education | Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Recommended Citation
Barnett, Dawn; Brinegar, Kyah; Burdette, Gracie; and O'Keefe, Sean, "Introduction to the Social Wasps of Eastern Kentucky: (Vespidae, Vespinae)" (2025). 2025 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations. 16.
https://scholarworks.moreheadstate.edu/celebration_posters_2025/16