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Yellowjackets are black-and-yellow wasps of the genus Vespula or Dolichovespula. They can be identified by their distinctive combination of black-and-yellow color, small size (slightly larger than a bee), and entirely black antennae.

Like some other vespids, they live in coloniesEusociality is the phenomenon of reproductive specialisation found in some species of animal, whereby a specialised caste carries out reproduction in a colony of non-reproductive animals. The most familiar examples are insects such as ants, bees, and wasp and build globular paper nests. Workers are around 12-20 mm in length, depending on species, and feed on nectarIn Greek mythology, nectar and ambrosia are the food of the gods. It is believed that the two terms were not originally distinguished—though in Homer's poems and later works, nectar is the drink and ambrosia the food. On the other hand, in Alcman nectar i, while collecting other foods (primarily arthropods) for their larvaeLarvae are the plural of larva, juvenile form of animals with indirect development. See larva In Roman mythology, the Larvae were the spectres or spirits of the dead; they were the malignant version of the Lares. Some Roman writers describe Lemures as the. They can sting repeatedly with relatively little provocation, especially in response to nest disturbance, and so can be major pests. In the fall, they switch from collecting arthropods and nectar to scavenging other food sources, which can increase their contact with people.

Dolichovespula species' nests tend to be exposed, whereas Vespula species build concealed nests, usually underground.

European Yellowjackets (Vespula germanica or Vespula vulgaris) were originally native to EuropeFor the band of the same name, see Europe (band . Europe is a continent forming the westermost part of the Eurasian supercontinent. Europe is bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Se, but are now established in North AmericaNorth America is the third largest continent in area and the fourth ranked in population. It is bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific Ocea, southern AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. 30,244,050 km2 (11,677,240 mi2) including the islands, it covers 20. 3% of the total land area on Earth, and with over 800 million human inhabitants it accounts for ar, New ZealandFor alternative meanings, see New Zealand (disambiguation). New Zealand is a country formed of two major islands and a number of smaller islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. A common Mori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa popularly translated as Land, and eastern Australia.

These wasps are responsible for at least one death in North America, when a man fell from his ladder into their underground nest.

Yellowjacket nests usually last for only one season, dying off in winter. The nest is started by a single queen, and typically can reach the size of a basketball by the end of the season. In parts of Australia and New Zealand, as well as certain southern coastal areas of the United States, the winters are mild enough to allow some nests to survive, which can then grow to 3-4 meters across.

The baldfaced hornet, Vespula maculata, belongs among the yellowjackets rather than the true hornets, but is not usually considered one because of its ivory-on-black coloration.