Scott Helmreich, 7 Bluff Oak Retreat, Skidaway Island, Savannah, Ga. on, 3/9/2019, while removing impacted leaves around a perennial plant, dug into humas, where he disturbed a dormant Southern Yellowjacket. From his experience, working with bees, he recognized the insect as being, what he believed to be, a “queen”! He telephoned me and invited me to his garage where he had set up a portable lighted area to photograph the insect, prior it's release. He had sugar water to provide when bringing it into an ambient setting to be photographed. He also placed a blooming cut branch from a nectar source, an Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis), to be used as a prop.

Please render an identification and answer if it is a queen.

We believe it is a “Queen”, Southern Yellowjacket (Vespula squamosa)?