What specific food requirement do yellowjackets meet using protein sources like meat or fish when baiting for tracking purposes?
Answer
To feed their developing larvae
When yellowjackets are foraging, their dietary needs vary depending on their life stage and immediate colony requirements. Adults primarily consume sugars, often sourced from ripe fruits, sodas, or spilled sweet drinks, as this provides the quick energy necessary for flight and general maintenance. However, the rapidly growing larval stage within the nest requires a high-protein diet to support development. Therefore, worker wasps hunt insects or scavenge meats and fish. If using a baiting technique to trace a nest, placing protein bait like a small piece of fish or meat will effectively attract workers actively seeking food for the brood, leading them back along the flight path to the nest.
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