Social Wasps

Vespidae, e.g. Vespula vulgaris

Wasps have a smooth slender body and a narrow waist. They have the characteristic black and yellow patterning on the abdomen which differ with species.

Colonies last only one year.
Each colony is established in the spring by an overwintering queen which makes a smaller starter nest from paper made by mixing wood and saliva.
Workers (sterile females) emerge during early summer and take over nest building. As the Queen continues to lay eggs, the colony grows to include many thousands of individuals.
The colony develops males towards the end of the summer to mate with the new Queens which mate in early Autumn then overwinter before starting a new colony.

Wasps can sting more than once because they are able to pull out their stinger without sustaining any injury to themselves.

A wasp colony can contain as many as 10,000 individuals.
Nest sites are usually below ground in old rodent burrows or other cavities They can also build nests in trees, shrubs, inside attics or wall cavities
Nest construction - A mixture of chewed wood and saliva. Combs are set horizontally.
A new nest is produced every year.
Wasps are predators, feeding on insects and other arthropods.
Wasps are aggressive scavengers and will sting repeatedly.