# German wasp (*Vespula germanica*)

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

The german wasp (Vespula germanica), also called the European wasp or German yellowjacket, is a living insect in the family Vespidae, subfamily Vespinae, within the order Hymenoptera. It falls in the tiny size class, with a body length of 1.3 cm and an adult body mass of 0.0741 g, with reported values from 0.0645 g to 0.0837 g. Its lifespan is given as 17 days, with reported values from 12 to 22 days.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 64.5 mg – 83.7 mg |
| Length | 1.3 cm – 2 cm |
| Lifespan | 0.0329 years – 0.0602 years |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | grassland, 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 germanica* (Fabricius, 1793)

Synonyms: *Vespa germanica*, *Vespa macularis*

## Common questions

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

The german wasp is an insect in the family Vespidae and the order Hymenoptera.

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

Its scientific name is Vespula germanica, in the genus Vespula.

### Who named Vespula germanica?

The species name is credited as (Fabricius, 1793).

### How big is the german wasp?

The german wasp has a body length of 1.3 cm and falls in the tiny size class.

### How much does a german wasp weigh?

An adult German wasp weighs 0.0741 g, with reported values from 0.0645 g to 0.0837 g.

### How long does a german wasp live?

Its lifespan is given as 17 days, with reported values from 12 to 22 days.

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

It is also called the European wasp and the German yellowjacket.

## 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: German wasp (Vespula germanica). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/german-wasp