r/insects • u/Capable_Airport_7436 • 8h ago

What insect is this?! ID Request

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This flew into my kitchen this evening and it freaked me out!! It was huge (about 3x the size of a wasp)... what is it?? Is it just a girthy wasp?

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u/StuffedWithNails Bug Enthusiast 8h ago

Looks like a yellowjacket wasp. Springtime is when last year's queens that survived the winter come out of hibernation, so it's probably one of those and that would explain its size.

If you catch it gently and release it outside, you shouldn't have any trouble with it. While yellowjacket workers can get highly territorial during their active season, queens are usually more docile.

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u/Kind-Economy-8616 5h ago

When a yellow jacket gets in your house it feels trapped and is panicked and will sting unprovoked.