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Overview

Yellow jackets — properly known as Vespula, Dolichovespula, or Paravespula — are thin wasps with black and yellow coloring and long dark wings. Their stripes often cause them to be confused with honey bees, although bees tend to be rounder in appearance. Unlike bees, which create hives that produce honey, yellow jackets live in nests, which can be found in secluded areas or the ground.

Also unlike bees, which can only sting once since they inject their stinger into you, yellow jackets have the ability to sting you multiple times. When a yellow jacket stings you, it pierces your skin with its stinger and injects a poisonous venom that causes sudden pain. You may also experience inflammation or redness around the sting a few hours after being stung. Fatigue, itching, and warmth around the injection site are also common symptoms for many people.