Bug FAQCommon Asian Yellowjacket
Vespula flaviceps · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Vespidae
Also called: Common Asiatic Yellowjacket
The common Asian yellowjacket lives in forests, especially the natural deciduous forests of northern Kanto, Japan. It is native to Eastern Asia and Japan. In central Japan the insect is eaten, with all stages consumed and the larvae regarded as a special delicacy.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Vespula flaviceps is found in forests.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
People in central Japan eat this wasp, using all life stages as food. The larvae are considered a special delicacy.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to Eastern Asia and Japan.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 1 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Ohio.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Is the common Asian yellowjacket eaten in Japan?
Yes, it is eaten in central Japan, with all stages used as food and the larvae especially prized.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Vespidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespula_flaviceps
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.