Dolichovespula maculata is a eusocial wasp of the
cosmopolitan family
Vespidae. Its colloquial names include the
bald-faced hornet,
bald hornet,
white-faced hornet,
white-tailed hornet,
blackjacket, and
bull wasp. This species is a yellowjacket wasp, not a true hornet (genus
Vespa). Colonies contain 400 to 700 workers, the largest recorded colony size in its genus,
Dolichovespula. It builds a characteristic hanging paper nest. Workers aggressively defend their nest by repeatedly stinging invaders. However, the bald-faced hornet is less aggressive compared to the normal
Yellowjacket wasp.