Tj, I think the antennae looks too long for a hoverfly? It may be though! We have a lot of hoverflys here, they don't stay still long enough, even with their hovering, but I remember they have short antennae when I googled.

From that posture the number of wing pairs cannot be determined.

Hard to tell some yellowjackets apart, the markings on yours are similar to the Eastern Yellow Jacket, Vespula maculifrons.

A yellowjacket, not a fly.

It may have come indoors when a door was open or hitch hiked on clothing or flowers.

Thanks for the replies. I was thinking maybe a paper wasp or yellow jacket.

I'm just concerned because I've seen five in the house, all dead or close to dead, in the past two days. Too many to have hitched a ride on clothing, so I'll have to check out the attic for a hive. I hope I'm wrong about that.

Foundation vents would be a more likely house access for this wasp.

If they are in the attic, leave them be. Unless you're in one of the southern state, the colony will die out on its own.

Here in the northwest, that's typically by mid-December in a normal year. Then you can safely get rid of the empty nest.

I found where they were getting into the house. A space between window and brick, which we will caulk after there is no more activity. There must be a nest in the wall, so can I leave the nest there or do I have to take down drywall and remove the nest?

I'm just wondering if it will cause problems later down the road to have it remain?

Hard to be sure; I wouldn't think there is enough moisture in the wasp and nest mass to penetrate drywall. After a year with no discoloration, you should be safe.

Thank you for your help Logician. You're giving me some peace of mind.:))

Myron. I would name him Myron.

All kidding aside, I have had these in my house in the fall. Mine were a type of hornet that built a nest under the siding/inside the wall. I found some on a window in the laundry room and was upset that had come indoors. They were slow moving enough that I could swat them with a fly swatter. The type I had die off in the fall and the nest is not reused. It was just a waiting game until they were all dead. To make sure, I sprayed the nest with wasp & hornet spray at night when I knew they would be home. The siding gap near the window was repaired after we removed traces of the nest.

After Myron Floren?

Yes! I didn't think anyone would catch that. ( I pretended Beatlemania, but it was Myron all along )