Yellow Jacket

Marleia Main

Yellow Jacket

Catskill Mountains, N.Y., U.S.A.
October 2008 – Olympus 510
Yellowjackets are social hunters living in colonies containing workers, queens and males. Colonies are annual with only inseminated queens overwintering. Fertilized queens occur in protected places as hollow logs, in stumps, under bark, in leaf litter, in soil cavities and human-made structures. Queens emerge during the warm days of late spring or early summer, select a nest site and build a small paper nest in which eggs are laid. After eggs hatch from the 30 to 50 brood cells, the queen feeds the young larvae for about 18 to 20 days. Larvae pupate, emerging later as small, infertile females called workers. By mid-summer, the first adult workers emerge and assume the tasks of nest expansion, foraging for food, care of the queen and larvae, and colony defense.
From this time until her death in the autumn, the queen remains inside the nest laying eggs. The colony then expands rapidly reaching a maximum size of 4,000 and 5,000 workers and a nest of 10,000 and 15,000 cells in late summer. At peak size, reproductive cells are built with new males and queens produced. Adult reproductives remain in the nest fed by the workers. New queens build up fat reserves to overwinter. Adult reproductives leave the parent colony to mate. After mating, males quickly die while fertilized queens seek protected places to overwinter. Parent colony workers dwindle, usually leaving the nest and die, as does the foundress queen. Abandoned nests rapidly decompose and disintegrate during the winter but can persist as long as they are kept dry but are rarely used again.
In the spring, the cycle is repeated. (Weather in the spring is the most important factor in colony establishment.) Although adults feed primarily on items rich in sugars and carbohydrates (fruits, flower nectar and tree sap), the larvae feed on proteins (insects, meats, fish, etc.). Adult workers chew and condition the meat fed to the larvae. Larvae in return secrete a sugar material relished by the adults, an exchange of material known as trophallaxis. In late summer, foraging workers (nuisance scavengers) change their food preference from meats to ripe, decaying fruits or scavenge human garbage, sodas, picnics, etc., since larvae in the nest fail to meet requirements as a source of sugar.
Although they lack the pollen-carrying structures of bees, yellowjackets can be minor pollinators when visiting . (wiki)


Yellow Jacket belongs to the following groups:

Bee & Wasp Passions Available for sale as

Greeting Cards and Matted Prints

Yellow Jacket by Marleia Main
Yellow Jacket by Marleia Main
  • dinghysailor1

    dinghysailor1

    amazing!!!!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hey you : )) You always put a smile on my face. Someday I will have to take a long vacation to visit my friends in far away places .. Thank you so much : ))))

  • blamo

    blamo

    Thats incredible

  • Marleia Main replied

    Thank you so much : )) I went to the Catskill Mountains to look at the tree’s changing color but it was pretty overcast soooo I found Insects instead! : )))

  • Visual   Inspirations

    Visual Inspi...

    Gorgeous find!! ;-) rhonda

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hi Rhonda : )) Thank you so very much : ))

  • Rosie Appleton

    Rosie Appleton

    Beautiful and sharp, well done!!!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Rosie : ) Thank you for commenting!!

  • CarolM

    CarolM

    Oh Marleia, you are so good at capturing these macros. Wow, this one is amazing. He is even cute. Excellent. As good as National Geographic.

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hi Carol : )) You are so sweet!! Thank you very much!! I try to find Insects/Spiders cute side so people wont hate them so much and maybe try to coexist with them. I really love my bugs : ))

  • dancinfreakshow

    dancinfreakshow

    Wow, That is incredible!!!!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hey you!! Thank you so very much for the comment : ))))

  • Christopher Birtwistle-Smith

    Christopher Bi...

    miss mar, you have produced a fantastic shot here…c xx

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Naughty Scallop eater : )) Thank you so much for the comment you : ))))

  • Linda Sannuti

    Linda Sannuti

    Awesome!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Linda: ) Thank you so much for commenting : ))

  • melant1017

    melant1017

    Yes, this is still an excellent macro, I love it :) WELL DONE!!!

    -Antonio

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Antonio .. 2nd time’s a charm ; ) Thank you for not giving up on my uploading skills : ))) Thank you for the comment!!

  • Sharon Perrett

    Sharon Perrett

    Seunning macro, perfect clarity

  • Sharon Perrett

    Sharon Perrett

    oops stunning macro :))

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hi Sharon : )) Thank you so much!! I really appreciate the comment : )))

  • Kevin  Kroeker

    Kevin Kroeker

    Wow!! That’s amazing! Your macro work is fasinating!!!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Kevin .. Thank you so much for your Really lovely comment!!

  • pryere

    pryere

    Superb, love it.

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello pryere : )) Thank you so very much : ))

  • Pete Costick

    Pete Costick

    Wonderful macro Marleia, did you find any spiders in the nountains too? Pete :)

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello There mister!! : )) I will be finding Spiders tomorrow .. I found a few small ones today but not bubble worthy : ( Very cute but not good enough for your awesome group. Tomorrow!! Thank you for your comment : )))

  • Christopher Birtwistle-Smith

    Christopher Bi...

    you make me smile and laugh! thanks….c xx

  • Marleia Main replied

    You always put a smile on my face too : ))))) see?

  • Marleia Main

    Marleia Main

    Hello There mister!! : )) I will be finding Spiders tomorrow .. I found a few small ones today but not bubble worthy : ( Very cute but not good enough for your awesome group. Tomorrow!! Thank you for your comment : )))

  • MICKSPIXPHOTOS

    MICKSPIXPHOTOS

    ABSOLUTELY AMAZING MACRO CAPTURE. WONDERFUL IMAGE.

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Mick!! Thank you so much for commenting!!

  • Charles Dobbs Photography

    Charles Dobbs ...

    Yep…another awesome shot Marleia!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Charles!! Thank you so much!!! Thank you!!! Another feature!! WooHooo!! : ))))

  • Marleia Main

    Marleia Main

    Hello Charles!! Thank you so much!!! Thank you!!! Another feature!! WooHooo!! : ))))

  • monaiman

    monaiman

    Wow that’s cute at the same time amazing !!!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello : )) Thank you for the wonderful comment : ))

  • flyfish70

    flyfish70

    Marleia you have a new name!!!!!! Goddess of macro lol!!!!!!! Your macro blows me away and this photo is right on with your other work!!!!!! Awesome capture!!!!!!!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello again : )) Wow Thank you!! Goddess?? .. Hmmmm I like that : )) lol Thank you so very much again!!

  • Kazzoom  IPA

    Kazzoom IPA

    oh wow awesome

  • Marleia Main replied

    Thank you so very, very much Kazz!!

  • Sharon Robertson

    Sharon Robertson

    Another great shot Marleia :-)

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Sharon : )) Thank you : ) Thank you : )))))

  • Diane Schuster

    Diane Schuster

    He looks as if he’s hanging on for dear life, Wonderful!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hi dolphindancer : )) Yes I think he was .. After this shot He gave up and flew on to my shirt and hung out for a while soaking up the sun while I took more pictures of other bee’s: )) Thank you so much for the comment : ))

  • barnsis

    barnsis

    WOW I am impressed, this is stunning in clarity and detail Amazing macro

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hi Byron!! Thank you!! That means so much to me!!! : ))))

  • CarolM

    CarolM

    I’m not at all surprised that you have been featured with this great macro. I commented on it just a day or so ago. It’s a perfect image. Congratulations.

  • Marleia Main replied

    Thank you so much Carol!!!! : )))))) You are sweet to notice : ))))

  • Antanas

    Antanas

    Great capture

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Antanas : )) Thank you so very much for your comment!!

  • greenpeg

    greenpeg

    wow…....fantastic marco…......

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hey new avatar!! Cool I like it : )) Thank you so much for commenting!!

  • clickychick

    clickychick

    amazing macro, wonderful detail and I love that you can see the little fella’s face so clearly.

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hi Sarah : )) Thank you so very much!! I really appreciate it!!!!

  • jesika

    jesika

    Wasps are so very photogenic. He’s a little poser. You have captured this one perfectly, super shot.
    j

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hi Jesika : )) Thank you, Thank you!! He was a cutie and photogenic!! Only got 1 shot before he flew onto my arm to rest in the sun. The other wasp I took about 50 pictures of .. He was a real “ham”!!! Thank you again : )))

  • jacqi

    jacqi

    oops! sorry! please delete the Antonio bit from your mind, getting confused and easily done when half asleep still!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Jacqi : )) Thank you so much for the comment .. I did that once too .. it is hard to bubble when you get tired!! I do appreciate your comments .. Thank you so much!! : ))))))))

  • MDossat

    MDossat

    Great macro of a yellow jacket. I see a bee and run the other way. LOL!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello : )) Thank you so much!! I love Bee’s .. They land on me all the time.. No stinging .. No need to run away lol!! : )))))))

  • Yool

    Yool

    Stunning!!!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Thank you Yool!! That means so much coming from you : ))))))

  • Nic Relton

    Nic Relton

    Good advice! This is really nice and sharp!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Mr. Relton : ) Thank you ; )

  • Carol Barona

    Carol Barona

    WOW, THIS IS AWESOME – STRAIGHT TO THE FAVS…

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Carol : )) Thank you so very much : ))

  • SandraRos

    SandraRos

    Every time you post a new macro shot I think “This is the best I have ever seen” ! You just keep on blowing me away with your macro photography !

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Sandra .. Thank you so much .. you leave the sweetest comments .. Thank you, Thank you!! : ))))))

  • Karen Zimmerman

    Karen Zimmerman

    What a cutie! Great capture!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Karen : )) Thank you so very much : ))))

  • Chris Snyder

    Chris Snyder

    What a fantastic macro!! Great title.

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello Chris : ) Thank you so much for your comment : ))

  • Jeannette Sheehy

    Jeannette Sheehy

    love this photo! his antennae are all wonky – gives him a cute look :)

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hey you .. I missed this one!! Thank you so very much : ))))

  • Jennifer Potter

    Jennifer Potter

    Love the fuzzy face! Great shot Marleia!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Oh Thank you so much Dawn : ))

  • SylviaHardy

    SylviaHardy

    Superb work Marleia!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Bee’s are so cool too!! This guy was sweet!! Thank you so very much : ))

  • Karen Kaleta

    Karen Kaleta

    This is the coolest shot!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hello MountainLover : )) Thank you so very much for commenting: ))))

  • Ryan Green

    Ryan Green

    your work is great, you present all these little creatures fantasticly…. cant wait to see more…..

  • Marleia Main replied

    Thank you so much ryan .. What a sweet comment : ))

  • Chet  King

    Chet King

    One amazing macro. Great gallery. Do you market your macro images?

  • Marleia Main replied

    Hi Chet :) Not really .. I just sell them here on Redbubble .. I might look into it .. Any idea’s or suggestions? Thank you so much :)

  • Edyta  Pelc

    Edyta Pelc

    love it!

  • Marleia Main replied

    Thank you so very much Edyta :)

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