Identifying a wasp/bee?

General Questions
#1

I just took several pictures of it, to no avail. My cheapo digital won’t give a good enough pic to see. It looks like a yellow jacket but is only 1/2 inch long, Has two large slim and two shorter wings, dark colored. black and yellow stripes. thick black antennae. If indeed these are young yellow jacket wasps, why are they in the house. What would they find to nest in? They are in the house in large numbers, say 10-15.
I checked the attic and the eaves outside and can see no nests. I have sprayed a few choice possibilities but I can’t home in on them.

I would greatly appreciate any help. Oh western Iowa if it matters.
Thank you.

#2

This is a Yellow Jacket. The larger yellow wasps are Paper wasps. It this what you have?

#3

No, wider black bands with thinner yellow, wings are darker. I have been trying to find a site that has pictures, but no luck there so far. plus they are only about 1/2 inch long.

#4

Maybee it’s not a bee: http://www.dpughphoto.com/images/syrphid%20fly%20johnston%20mill%2051107.JPG
Syrphid fly?

#5

Do a Google Images search on Polistes. The resulting pages show that just among paper wasps there is a great variation in size and markings.

#6

Despite you not having found a nest, it would be my guess that they did, indeed, build a nest (possibly inside a wall) and they are coming into the house from an opening that they discovered from the wall into the house. (We had the same thing happen to us.)

#7

Quite on the money. I have a little cove that allows the stairs to the second floor to turn. They have invaded that space that roofs it. The things I am reading say the best thing to do is leave it till they freeze during the first cold snap, so I am looking for the entryways into the house to block those and at least keep them out of the house. They are also paper wasps. The two that I found aren’t the same. but now I have around 30 little bodies that match the paper wasp. So far so good though, no stings yet on the kiddies or dogs.