German Yellowjacket Vespula germanica

Talk about taking over the world. This European native has become one of the world's most successful invaders, now established on every continent except Antarctica. Found in North America, South America, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand—spreading far beyond their original European, North African, and Asian homes.

People often mistake them for paper wasps because of their distinctive grey paper nests, but don't let the confusion fool you: these are true yellowjackets, and they're aggressively competitive wherever they settle.