Large wasp found Layhill MD area - Ask Extension
A large wasp found its way inside my house, likely through a door I had open for a short time. It is rather large, with a 4x2 lego brick placed next t...
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Large wasp found Layhill MD area #930681
Asked May 05, 2026, 12:33 PM EDT
A large wasp found its way inside my house, likely through a door I had open for a short time. It is rather large, with a 4x2 lego brick placed next to it for scale (32mm x 16mm). I have not encountered wasps of this size in Maryland before. This wasp was end-of-life as I believe it had been inside my house for ~32 hours before I discovered it. It was still aggressive when I picked it up with grasps I use for retrieving small parts inside electronic component boxes which is about the size of a typical ball-point pen.
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
It is a European Hornet, probably a queen which would be a bit larger than the workers. Many are out now searching for hive locations. Nothing to be alarmed about as they are common throughout Maryland and much of the US.
Emily
