I saw this critter, or a friend, on the ground last week near some newly sewn grass seed and straw. Today , critter showed up in the swimming pool strainer basket. The color of the bands on the body looked greenish to me when I saw it in the grass, but now looks whitish.
Apologies for the pictures: I am allergic to bees and didn't want to move it around too much.
Pat
Looks like a baldfaced hornet, a wasp with little or no sense of humor when its nest is disturbed - http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/baldfaced-hornet
Oh yeah, that's the beast! Thanks for the informative link, too.
