Yellow jackets are another social wasp of the Vespid family. The name derives from the insect's bold black and yellow coloring, which serves as a warning to the world that the yellow jacket is not to be messed with. Most yellowjacket species build underground nests in abandoned burrows and are extremely assertive in defending their turf. Their sting is quite painful and, like some wasp, hornet and bee stings, can produce dangerous allergic reactions in people sensitive to their venom.