Miniature Great Escape

Here’s an interesting series I caught at our Oriole feeder. The orioles have left for the summer, but the wasps have been busy enjoying the grape jam. And I thought that would make for some interesting photos!

A Downy Yellowjacket (Vespula flavopilosa) enjoys some grape jam from an oriole feeder.

The Downy Yellowjacket jumps to take off because a larger bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) lands too close, but gets tripped up and mired upside down in the jam.

The Downy Yellowjacket struggles to free itself from the jam as the larger bald-faced hornet looks to take advantage of the situation.

The yellowjacket rights itself, and the hornet backs off a bit and assumes a defensive posture.

The hornet resumes its advance before the yellowjacket gains better footing.

But the yellowjacket frees itself and jumps away, forcing the hornet back again defensively.