{"id":116897,"date":"2023-10-11T04:54:42","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T10:54:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=116897"},"modified":"2024-02-13T03:24:22","modified_gmt":"2024-02-13T10:24:22","slug":"aerial-yellowjacket-nest-in-the-wasatch-mountains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/10\/11\/aerial-yellowjacket-nest-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","title":{"rendered":"Aerial Yellowjacket Nest In The Wasatch Mountains"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I first found and photographed this Aerial Yellowjacket nest in August, high in the Wasatch Mountains. Now that the leaves have fallen, I can see it better.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-116896 size-full\" title=\"Aerial Yellowjacket nest in autumn\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/aerial-yellowjacket-nest-autumn-mia-mcpherson-2375.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/aerial-yellowjacket-nest-autumn-mia-mcpherson-2375.jpg\" alt=\"Aerial Yellowjacket nest in autumn, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27643%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20900%20643%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27643%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/aerial-yellowjacket-nest-autumn-mia-mcpherson-2375-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/aerial-yellowjacket-nest-autumn-mia-mcpherson-2375-250x179.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/aerial-yellowjacket-nest-autumn-mia-mcpherson-2375-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/aerial-yellowjacket-nest-autumn-mia-mcpherson-2375-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/aerial-yellowjacket-nest-autumn-mia-mcpherson-2375-600x429.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/aerial-yellowjacket-nest-autumn-mia-mcpherson-2375-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/aerial-yellowjacket-nest-autumn-mia-mcpherson-2375-800x572.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/aerial-yellowjacket-nest-autumn-mia-mcpherson-2375.jpg 900w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\">Aerial Yellowjacket nest in autumn \u2013 Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1000, ISO 500,\u00a0 -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n<p>According to my research, there are at least five different species of yellowjackets in Utah. The most commonly found is the Western Yellowjacket. Yellowjackets can build their nests in holes in the ground or enclosed aerial paper nests similar to those of baldfaced hornets. They are most active and aggressive in late summer when colony populations peak.<\/p>\n<p>Aerial Yellowjackets are in the Genus <em>Dolichovespula<\/em>. The species that most likely created this papery nest is the Common Aerial Yellowjacket (<em>Dolichovespula arenaria<\/em>), which is abundant in Utah.<\/p>\n<p>Bald-faced Hornets also build nests like this one. Not to stir up a hornet&#8217;s nest, but I can confidently say that this nest was created by yellowjackets. I saw and photographed the yellowjackets at this nest in August.<\/p>\n<p>No matter where I am, what the habitat is, or the weather conditions, I can always find something in nature to photograph and write about. Two days ago in the mountains, I had birds, insects, autumn colors, and gorgeous views.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking of views, I wanted to share a compilation of cell phone images I took while heading up to the summit of a pass on my way home. My cell phone creates video stories of my activities and this is how this video came to be.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>I hope you enjoy the mountain scenery!<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div class=\"fusion-video fusion-youtube fusion-aligncenter\" style=\"--awb-max-width:950px;--awb-max-height:554px;--awb-width:100%;--awb-margin-bottom:24px;\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/VideoObject\"><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT1M12S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Fall colors in the Wasatch Mountains with Mia\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"Drive in the Wasatch Mountains on October 9th 2023.\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2023-10-10\" \/><meta itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/i3.ytimg.com\/vi\/85RUONl-8b4\/hqdefault.jpg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"embedUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/85RUONl-8b4\" \/><div class=\"video-shortcode\"><lite-youtube videoid=\"85RUONl-8b4\" class=\"landscape\" params=\"wmode=transparent&autoplay=1&amp;rel=0&amp;enablejsapi=1\" title=\"Fall colors in the Wasatch Mountains with Mia\" data-button-label=\"Play Video\" width=\"950\" height=\"554\" data-thumbnail-size=\"auto\" data-no-cookie=\"on\"><\/lite-youtube><\/div><\/div>\n<p>The views were incredible and the fall colors were wonderful to see. I had a lovely, very relaxing, trip into the mountains and saw some pretty interesting bird behavior that I will write about later.<\/p>\n<p>Life <em>is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/insects-and-spiders\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my insect and spider photos.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I first found and photographed this Aerial Yellowjacket nest in August, high in the Wasatch Mountains. Now that the leaves have fallen, I can see it better.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":116896,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14438,1731,26,5362,773],"tags":[14447,14443,10264,970,3940,14445,14444,14446,4620,5436,1799,6583,14439,4075,9626,2791,14420,14417,14441,14440,14442],"class_list":["post-116897","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aerial-yellowjackets","category-summit-county-utah","category-utah","category-video","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-aerial-yellowjacket","tag-aerial-yellowjackets","tag-alpine-creek","tag-autumn","tag-canyon","tag-common-aerial-yellowjacket","tag-dolichovespula","tag-dolichovespula-arenaria","tag-fall","tag-fall-colors","tag-insects","tag-leaves","tag-montains","tag-nest","tag-riparian-habitat","tag-video","tag-wasp","tag-wasps","tag-yellowjacket","tag-yellowjacket-nest","tag-yellowjackets"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/aerial-yellowjacket-nest-autumn-mia-mcpherson-2375.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-upr","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5864,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/08\/07\/rocky-mountain-bee-plant\/","url_meta":{"origin":116897,"position":0},"title":"Rocky Mountain Bee Plant","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 7, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Rocky Mountain Bee Plants (Cleomella serrulata) are one of the wildflowers that are currently in bloom on Antelope Island State Park in some locations, they aren't as widespread as the Moth Mulleins so I treasure finding them.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Antelope Island State Park&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rocky Mountain Bee Plant with Western Yellowjacket, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-yellowjacket-rocky-mountain-bee-plant-mia-mcpherson-7105.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-yellowjacket-rocky-mountain-bee-plant-mia-mcpherson-7105.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-yellowjacket-rocky-mountain-bee-plant-mia-mcpherson-7105.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-yellowjacket-rocky-mountain-bee-plant-mia-mcpherson-7105.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":135520,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/10\/12\/tufted-titmouse-birdbath-water-droplets-and-a-yellowjacket\/","url_meta":{"origin":116897,"position":1},"title":"Tufted Titmouse, Birdbath, Water Droplets, And A Yellowjacket","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I'm sharing two images of an adult Tufted Titmouse, taken yesterday while the titmouse was at the birdbath, enjoying a nice cool drink of water.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Arkansas&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tufted Titmouse at the birdbath with flying water droplets, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/tufted-titmouse-birdbath-water-droplets-mia-mcpherson-5575.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/tufted-titmouse-birdbath-water-droplets-mia-mcpherson-5575.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/tufted-titmouse-birdbath-water-droplets-mia-mcpherson-5575.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/tufted-titmouse-birdbath-water-droplets-mia-mcpherson-5575.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":134920,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/09\/23\/summer-tanager-in-a-pear-tree\/","url_meta":{"origin":116897,"position":2},"title":"Summer Tanager In A Pear Tree","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I was about to give up on bird photography for the morning yesterday when a gorgeous immature Summer Tanager flew in and landed in a pear tree.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Arkansas&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Summer Tanager in a pear tree, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/summer-tanager-immature-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-3674.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/summer-tanager-immature-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-3674.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/summer-tanager-immature-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-3674.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/summer-tanager-immature-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-3674.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":108047,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/11\/14\/old-bullocks-oriole-nest-in-autumn\/","url_meta":{"origin":116897,"position":3},"title":"Old Bullock&#8217;s Oriole Nest In Autumn","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 14, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Now that many of the leaves have fallen off the trees along the Jordan River I have been finding quite a few Bullock's Oriole nests on my walks along the trail.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bullock's Oriole nest in autumn, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bullocks-oriole-nest-in-cottonwood-mia-mcpherson-3917.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bullocks-oriole-nest-in-cottonwood-mia-mcpherson-3917.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bullocks-oriole-nest-in-cottonwood-mia-mcpherson-3917.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bullocks-oriole-nest-in-cottonwood-mia-mcpherson-3917.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":102595,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/05\/23\/photographing-two-yellow-warbler-nests\/","url_meta":{"origin":116897,"position":4},"title":"Photographing Two Yellow Warbler Nests","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 23, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning I found not one but two Yellow Warbler nests high in the Wasatch Mountains because I paid attention to the movements of two female warblers.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Yellow Warbler in nest with nesting materials, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/yellow-warbler-adult-female-in-nest-mia-mcpherson-6973.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/yellow-warbler-adult-female-in-nest-mia-mcpherson-6973.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/yellow-warbler-adult-female-in-nest-mia-mcpherson-6973.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/yellow-warbler-adult-female-in-nest-mia-mcpherson-6973.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":70442,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/06\/01\/an-american-robin-who-briefly-fooled-my-ears\/","url_meta":{"origin":116897,"position":5},"title":"An American Robin Who Briefly Fooled My Ears","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"And I then had an \"Ah ha\" moment. No wonder I thought I was hearing a Cedar Waxwing when in actuality it was the American Robin calling out because of a predator that I did not see.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American Robins&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American Robins","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/thrushes\/american-robins\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Robin adult calling, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/american-robin-calling-mia-mcpherson-5908.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/american-robin-calling-mia-mcpherson-5908.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/american-robin-calling-mia-mcpherson-5908.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/american-robin-calling-mia-mcpherson-5908.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116897","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116897"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116897\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116896"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116897"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116897"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116897"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}