Found throughout North America
Found in meadows, forest edges, fruit orchards and urban areas, nesting in stumps, fallen logs and cracks in the ground. Familiar pests at picnics around ripe fruit, sweet juices and meat. Yellow jackets may scavenge rotting fruit from trash, and reactions from scavengers' stings may include tender tissue and inflammation below the skin.
The Yellow Jacket belongs to the group social wasps (including hornets) who build communal nests and defend them aggressively. They do not hesitate to sting for the slightest reason and can sting over and over again.
