# Common wasp (*Vespula vulgaris*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-wasp  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) is an insect in the family Vespidae, listed under the animal subgroup Bees. It belongs to the class Insecta, order Hymenoptera, suborder Apocrita, superfamily Vespoidea, subfamily Vespinae and genus Vespula. Its scientific name carries the authority (Linnaeus, 1758), and other English names for it are Wasp, Common yellowjacket, Common European wasp and Common European yellowjacket. The Catalogue of Life lists the common wasp as a living species, not extinct.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | 1.3 cm – 1.9 cm |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Diet | Nectarivore |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | human_modified |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Not recorded |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Arthropoda
- class: Insecta
- order: Hymenoptera
- family: Vespidae
- genus: Vespula
- species: *Vespula vulgaris* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Vespa alascensis*, *Vespa communis*, *Vespa mixta*, *Vespa pseudogermanica*, *Vespa sexcincta*, *Vespa vulgaris*, *Vespa vulgaris var. pseudogermanica*, *Vespa westwoodi*, *Vespula vulgaris vetus*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the common wasp?

The common wasp is an insect in the family Vespidae and the order Hymenoptera, listed under the animal subgroup Bees.

### What is the scientific name of the common wasp?

The scientific name of the common wasp is Vespula vulgaris, in the genus Vespula.

### Who named Vespula vulgaris and when?

The scientific name Vespula vulgaris carries the authority (Linnaeus, 1758).

### What other names does the common wasp have?

Other English names for the common wasp are Wasp, Common yellowjacket, Common European wasp and Common European yellowjacket.

### Is the common wasp extinct?

No, the common wasp is a living species, not extinct, according to the Catalogue of Life.

### What subfamily does the common wasp belong to?

The common wasp belongs to the subfamily Vespinae, within the superfamily Vespoidea and suborder Apocrita.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [TraitCH: a multi-taxa functional trait dataset for Switzerland and Europe](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15063844), CC BY 4.0, 2.0. Chauvier, Y., Adde, A., Bergamini, A. et al. (2025) TraitCH: a multi-taxa functional trait dataset for Switzerland and Europe. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15063844
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Common wasp (Vespula vulgaris). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-wasp