A Western Yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica) queen mating with a male. The fertilized queen will eventually go into hibernation for the winter. She will re-emerge in the spring, find a spot for a nest and lay a few eggs that will hatch and become her workers. She will spend the remainder of her time laying eggs. Alas, the male will die.
Hard-To-Come-By Lifestyle 
alas indeed! brought a chuckle in me. thanks for the photos and the accompanying information on these creatures.