Eastern yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons) is the most common yellowjacket in eastern North America. It often nests in urban and suburban environments. It aggressively defends its nest. It is able to sting multiple times but the barbed stinger sometimes becomes detached in the victim.
This species of yellowjacket is identified by distinctive black and yellow markings on its head and body. The yellow band behind the compound eye is not notched, narrowed, or broken. There is no yellow “eye loop.” The thorax has no longitudinal stripes. The first abdominal segment has a broad, black, anchor-shaped mark. The workers do not have isolated black spots on the remaining abdominal segments.
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