# Please Help ID This Flying Insect



## PH_Bee (Mar 26, 2017)

Looks like a Southern Yellow Jacket Queen.

See if you think this picture is close. http://bugguide.net/node/view/52433


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## Dave Burrup (Jul 22, 2008)

How about a clear wing moth? swat one down and post a better picture.


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

Like Dave, I think it' a moth.

If you had not said in your descrition that it was half the size of a European Hornet, I was going to go with European Hornet.


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## Jim Hancock (Dec 30, 2016)

It looks more like a hornet or wasp. The clear wing moth is more of a yellow like a bumblebee. Also a lot more hair on the moth.


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## sandmtn (Jul 7, 2016)

PH_Bee nailed it. 

So glad I asked for help. Will be declaring war on them now.

We had killed one but I didn't get a photo. It looked just like the ones in photos of Southern Yellow Jacket queens.

I also looked at clear wing moth photos. We did see some of those here in the past few weeks.

Thank you all for responding.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

> Southern Yellowjacket Queen - Vespula squamosa - Female
> Gloster, Gloster Arboretum, Amite County, Mississippi, USA
> May 13, 2006
> Size: body length 19.3 mm


that thing is bigger the 19.3 mm isn't it? 
I have them in a hole next to a creek and they are almost 2 inches long.
I've seen it fly out but never seen it bother anything/anyone.


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## rbees (Jun 25, 2012)

Most positive that's a Southern Yellow jacket foundress


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## rbees (Jun 25, 2012)

PH_Bee said:


> Looks like a Southern Yellow Jacket Queen.
> 
> See if you think this picture is close. http://bugguide.net/node/view/52433


Spot on


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## sandmtn (Jul 7, 2016)

rbees, Yes I'm sure of it.

R_V, The ones I'm seeing look to be about 1". But very well could be 19.3mm or about 3/4". If you think they really could be the Southern Yellow Jacket queens, please research them before you let them live on your property. They're no bother now, but from what I understand, by late summer, they will be.

I've been killing at least one almost everyday but more have been able to get away. They must have been signaled about me by the dying ones because now as soon as I get near, they zoom away. I'm now killing them with wasp-hornet spray that shoots 20ft.


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

Looks like a fly to me. Catch one and count the wings. 2 wings is a fly. 4 wings is a wasp or bee.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

sandmtn said:


> rbees, Yes I'm sure of it.
> 
> R_V, The ones I'm seeing look to be about 1". But very well could be 19.3mm or about 3/4". If you think they really could be the Southern Yellow Jacket queens, please research them before you let them live on your property. They're no bother now, but from what I understand, by late summer, they will be.
> 
> I've been killing at least one almost everyday but more have been able to get away. They must have been signaled about me by the dying ones because now as soon as I get near, they zoom away. I'm now killing them with wasp-hornet spray that shoots 20ft.


The "things" I have are at least 2 inches long so I guess they're something else. and there's only the one or maybe two of them.
I haven't seen a yellow jacket in my yard for years.


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

This URL might help:

https://search.aol.com/aol/image;_y...msearch&s_it=sb_top&ei=UTF-8&n=60&x=wrt&s_qt=


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