Vespula sulphurea, the California yellowjacket, is a species of wasp within the family Vespidae. It is found distributed in the Upper Sonoran Fauna of California, but has been known to occur in southern Oregon, western Nevada, southern Arizona, and northern Baja California. Nests of the species are found underground, with a maximum known worker count of 1,100. It is preyed upon by the California scrub jay and spiders in the Peucetia genus. It feeds and pollinates on plants such as fennel, California figwort, and the chaparral broom.
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Is it venomous or poisonous?
Considered venomous. Public sources list it as such; we have not verified this individually. The note covers its whole family. Wasps and hornets; stings Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Vespula squamosa — considered venomous
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera
- Family
- Vespidae
- Genus
- Vespula
- Species
- Vespula sulphurea
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