European paper wasp (Polistes dominula)

The European Paper wasps are not native to the United States. Their bodies have black and yellow streaks, which one might confuse with yellow jackets.  

These paper wasps flourish in temperate zones and thrive in human-dominated environments. They create their nests in cavity walls, roof spaces, trees, and shrubs.

While most wasps are solitary, these social paper wasps thrive in complex, cooperative societies.