Giant wood wasp

[brancho]

I took this today when I visited my Scouts on camp. It is a Giant wood wasp and it was 40mm (1.5 inch).

edit
The Horntail is also known as the 'Giant Wood Wasp' or 'Greater Horntail' and is a massive sawfly. A relative of the wasps, the female is black and yellow and has a long 'sting'; this is actually her ovipositor through which she lays her eggs into wood, especially pine. The larvae live in the wood of pine trees, where they spend up to five years developing. Found near pine woods, or places where pine timbers are used.


Giant-Wood-Wasp by alf.branch, on Flickr

 

[bopdude]

Now that's impressive, thanks for sharing.

 

[Harvestman]

I would love to see one of those.

 

[Goatboy]

That's a lovely picture, fantastic detail. In one of our old shops we had the rucksack room lined with half logs and about a year later some of those beauties started to hatch out and fly around the shop like attack helicopters. Folks got pretty scared though totally harmless lovely things.
Cheers for posting it up.

 

[ozzy1977]

Great picture, thanks for sharing

 

[Fluffydave]

Love your macro photography branco, it makes me want to pick up a macro lens

 

[Clouston98]

Great shot! He's a big ole beasty too!

 

[daveO]

Lovely pic and nice to see one actually using its oviposter.

 

[brancho]

Now that's impressive, thanks for sharing.

Thanks

I would love to see one of those.

It was impressive to see

That's a lovely picture, fantastic detail. In one of our old shops we had the rucksack room lined with half logs and about a year later some of those beauties started to hatch out and fly around the shop like attack helicopters. Folks got pretty scared though totally harmless lovely things.
Cheers for posting it up.

They live for up to 5 years in the wood as a larva. I can imagine them scaring people.

Great picture, thanks for sharing

Thanks

Love your macro photography branco, it makes me want to pick up a macro lens

Thanks Dave this was hardly macro due to its size but macro is fascinating.

Great shot! He's a big ole beasty too!

amazing to see

Lovely pic and nice to see one actually using its oviposter.

I have of her using her ovipositer which is not as sharp I will post but it is sheathed on this shot.

 

[brancho]

Here is a shot of her Ovipositor in use

Giant-Wood-Wasp-ovipositing by alf.branch, on Flickr

 

[Macaroon]

Brilliant shots! Thanks for those

 

[scottpix]

Lovely shot Brancho.

Scott

 

[shaggystu]

Pete (teepee) and I spotted one of these whilst we were camping in mixed plantation in Derbsyhire sometime last summer, it turns out that Pete's a big girl's blouse when it comes to potentially stingy things. I wish I'd have known exactly what it was at the time, I'd have caught it for him to have a closer look

 

[brancho]

Brilliant shots! Thanks for those

Thanks

Lovely shot Brancho.

Scott

Thanks Scott

Pete (teepee) and I spotted one of these whilst we were camping in mixed plantation in Derbsyhire sometime last summer, it turns out that Pete's a big girl's blouse when it comes to potentially stingy things. I wish I'd have known exactly what it was at the time, I'd have caught it for him to have a closer look

Thanks for that tale Stu it is amazing how many people hate insects especially wasps.