Yellow Jacket/Bald Faced Hornet cohabitation? - Ask Extension
My husband was stung by one of the above (anaphylactic reaction) , then our dog. Upon spraying the nest located under our deck in Northern MI, both ye...
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Yellow Jacket/Bald Faced Hornet cohabitation? #808071
Asked August 25, 2022, 7:01 PM EDT
My husband was stung by one of the above (anaphylactic reaction) , then our dog. Upon spraying the nest located under our deck in Northern MI, both yellow jackets AND hornets came out and died from the same nest. What’s going on here?
Montmorency County Michigan
Expert Response
You have witnessed, the hard way, a very odd entomological event. The wasps that look like a bald-faced hornet are actually an uncommon species of yellowjacket that is a "nest parasite" of certain other species of yellowjackets. The nest parasite species has no worker caste, they are only queens and drones for this species. Queens of the nest parasite seek out an active yellowjacket nest and invade it; the queen then lays her eggs in some of the cells and her young if fed and cared for by the host nest workers.
I found a case of this on my own property this year!
May I use your photos in presentations and displays?
I found a case of this on my own property this year!
May I use your photos in presentations and displays?
Absolutely! And thank you for your speedy response. It’s, dangerously (sadly), fascinating.
Again, our thanks.
Donna Parkhurst
Here are a few more close ups:
Thanks! The nest I found with the same thing going on was way back in June- the invading queen was there but none of her offspring had matured yet.
