DescriptionHow To Safely Photograph a Southern Yellowjacket (6241629651).jpg
The Southern yellowjacket (Vespula squamosa) is aggressive and quite dangerous when defending it's nest. Stumbling into the nest flyway or making ground vibrations too close to the entrance can get one swarmed! However, away from the nest while foraging for nectar, insects, rotting fruit and carrion, the yellowjacket is relatively amiable as long as you don't grab or insult her.
Here is one method to safely photograph yellowjackets using an Osprey and a striped mojarra fish (Diapterus plumieri):
1. Befriend an Osprey ("fish hawk")
2. Ask it to go catch a striped mojarra fish (any fish will do).
3. When it is done eating, it will drop it on the ground.
4. Wait while the fish decomposes.
5. Yellowjackets (& flies) will come.
6. Take photographs!
(Or you could just photograph them on rotting fruit but that wouldn't be a challenge :)
This Southern yellowjacket has been drawn to a rotting mojarra fish dropped by an Osprey (there were several yellowjackets and blue bottle flies racing around). Note the two distinctive longitudinal stripes on the mesoscutum (just behind the head) which are characteristic of the species. The wasp is standing on the scales of the fish. The ground nest of these yellowjackets is not far away and has been cautiously and nervously passed by yours truly many times over the last couple of years.
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