German Yellowjacket by Enmos
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Description
Thanks for viewing !! :o)
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This is a worker German Yellowjacket, Vespula germanica,
pulling up fibers for nesting material.
Description
The adults are black or blackish brown wit yellow stripes. Males
measure 13 to 17 mm long, workers 12 to 16 mm, queens 17 to 20 mm.
Antennae have 13 segments in males, and 12 in females. The male
abdomen has 7 segments, the female 6, the latter being equipped with
an ovipositor.
Biology
The most commonly encountered wasp. Actively predatory on other
insects, particularly Diptera (flies, mosquitoes) and caterpillars. In
summer it also feeds on flower nectar and the pulp of ripe fruits
(phytophagous diet).
The nest may be sited above or below ground, but always in shady areas
(holes in walls, hollow rocks, disused burrows). A 2 to 3 cm diameter
opening provides access.
The paste used to fabricate the cells and walls of the nest is made from
pieces of young wood and bark masticated and mixed with saliva. It is
greyish in colour.
The nest may reach a diameter of 30 cm and contain more than 10,000
individuals. The German wasp is relatively long-living. Wasps forage up to
500 m from their nest.
Life Cycle
Fertilized females or "queens" overwinter in a sheltered place. They start
to emerge at around mid-March. Workers appear later, during the summer
and, if the climate is not too rigorous, continue to forage until mid-November.
The queen builds the first cells of the nest, then lays an egg in each cell. She
feeds the first larvae herself; thereafter, workers will continue to construct
the nest and care for or nourish the eggs, (larvae and pupae).
Males and females of the new generation are formed in summer; after mating,
fertilized queens overwinter while males and workers die before the onset
of winter.
Damage
The wasp attacks ripe fruits which it excavates to obtain sugary food, scrape
off the tender bark of young trees to obtain construction material and sugary
sap. In summer and autumn, it enters dwellings in the search for sugary foodstuffs
for its own nourishment and meat to feed the larvae.
This wasp is aggressive; its sting may be dangerous to man and domestic animals.
Distribution
The German wasp is native to Europe, North Africa and temperate Asia.
But has fairly recently spread to Australia, Agentina and the US.
Have a wonderful saturday !! Its raining like hell here, thunder and lightning as
well *sigh*... and i have to go outside :o(
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Thanks for all your wonderful comments on
my last upload, "Tiny Dragon" !!
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Many thanks,
Jeroen
Comments (45)
francinechristophe
Well it looks German, all right ! Very interesting and full details. Read every word of it. Thank you Jeroen.
kimariehere
totally amazing shot and info!!...as always a wonder to view your talent ~ brilliant!
BorisB
Perfect! I like the impressive diagonal!
Zacko
WOW!!! What an extreme close up!!! Youda man!!! I wasnt even surprised when i saw this just now in the gallery and it had 1 comment but 0 viewings. Only a pro can pull that off, lol. Gorgeous piece of work once again. Hope you get to have a lovely weekend #:O) ......edit...once i pressed the "Back to the gallery" link...i saw that you now have 4 comments but only 1 viewing....HOW THE HELL DO YOU DO THAT???? Bow to the Master!!!! #:oP
Enmos
@Zacko: LOL i was woindering the same thing, how the hell did i do that ?? ;o) I guess it must have been the repetitive editing of the text area... ;o) Thanks to all !! :o)
nathalie06
Wonderful close up of this German Yellowjacket. The details are impressives. It's incredible how they work and the organisation of their society. Thank you for all the informations you 've give us, it's very interesting. Have a great week-end.
Digimon
Hey where did the "Kraut" come from? LOL ;) great shot! (APU)
Mikan
ohooo, again a stunning macro-photo; I guess that I won't come close to this little devil. have a great week-end - after all, some wet days after so many sunny days won't do anyharm...anyway, here rained already like hell.
SoulSearcherr
wow..you make lil critters so cute..S
macedonian66
WOW! A brave soul to get so close to a wasp! Magnificent macro! Superbly done!
marybelgium
another excellent one ! bravo !
pm_hackworth
WOW!! VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;0)
rayburg
Great pic and wonderful bio lesson. You BEEEE the man.
sharky_
A beautiful macro capture of this German Yellowjacket. If its predatory to flies and mosquitoes, I sure welcome him to my home. We have to many mosquitoes here...lol. Excellent information. Aloha
tibet2004uk
Perfect dof and details and wonderful compo!
Nameless_Wildness
Rather you than me on this shot mate!!!...another superb one!!!
nongo
NOT my favorite insect either, they love me cause I'm sweet!!! Yikes!!! excellent macro work!!!!*****
Richardphotos
the yellow jackets here are very fierce and will attack in droves. their sting hurts like the dickens. excellent capture Jeroen. hope he did not want you for lunch
TallPockets
" In summer it also feeds on flower nectar and the pulp of ripe fruits" -- Dear Enmos: It also feeds on the blood and skin of humans. As in one young and dumb TallPockets about age six? WINK. MOST excellent work!!
ModestyB
LOL @ U and Andreas :) A german Wasp!!!! O my!!!! Splendid close up!!!!!!!!
L8RDAZE
Upclose & Personal! Detail & sharpness are amazing...hairs and all! You capture the insect world so well!
Akinom
Face to face... impressive capture, Jeroen! *****
statt2344
EXCELLENT CLOSE UP WONDEFUL DETAIL, AND CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF MAKING WOOD PULP FOR THE NEST YOU COULD NOT ASK FOR MORE ( PERHAPS A PICTURE OF THE NEST FEELING BRAVE!!!! )
uniquedreamer
Wonderful capture and detail and also the great history lesson.
tizjezzme
Wow .. this is so good. I'm in awe....
odie
OHHH!! I love the angle, the contrast and the composition of this! Terrific photo!! V
diomedes66
Most excellent macro indeed! I doubt that I would be quite as brave as you :-) Well done indeed!
watapki66
Awesome macro, the detail is just breathtaking!
Georges_H_Hoens
Excellent shot.
Ikarius
Wow, so this is a PERFECT DOF!