European Hornet

This hornet flew into my mom's house after dinner a few weeks ago.  I caught it in a glass jar and kept it until the next day when I released it and got a few pictures before it flew away.  European Hornets are actually very peaceful and beneficial, especially around bee hives.  They usually forage at night, so wax moths are much less likely to enter a bee hive with a hornet nest close by.  It was very interesting to be able to watch one so close.