Yellow jackets have a varied and opportunistic diet that changes with the seasons and the needs of their colony. Diet Composition:

• Sugary foods: Yellow jackets feed on sugars and carbohydrates such as plant nectar, fruit (especially ripe and overripe), flower nectar, and honeydew produced by aphids. They are attracted to sweet human foods like sodas, juices, candy, ice cream, cakes, and syrups, particularly in late summer and fall when natural nectar sources decline

• Protein sources: In spring and early summer, yellow jackets primarily seek protein-rich foods to feed their larvae. This includes hunting live insects (like caterpillars, flies, spiders), scavenging meat from animals, fish, pet food, and leftovers from human picnics or barbecues. They chew and condition these protein foods before feeding them to their larvae

• Scavenging: Yellow jackets also scavenge on decaying animal matter and carrion, contributing to ecosystem cleanup

Feeding behavior: Adults consume sugary substances and receive a sugary secretion from larvae, a food exchange known as trophallaxis. Their diet shifts from protein-focused in the early season to sugar-focused in late summer and fall. This dietary flexibility leads them to frequently forage near human food sources, making them common nuisances at outdoor events

. In summary, yellow jackets eat a mix of sugars (nectar, fruit, sweet human foods) and proteins (insects, meat, fish), with their diet shifting seasonally to meet colony needs