Wood wasp interruption

The other day, while milling a few spruce logs, a wood wasp with a 2" long body landed on one of the logs and started drilling into it. Not wanting to disturb it, we waited about 10 minutes during which time it had drilled about half an inch into the log, and presumably laid a few eggs. Once finished, it flew away, and we proceded to mill the log.

Luckily, I had a camera at hand, to make some milling pictures for my website, and of a home made mounting bracket for a ladder.

During the day, we saw quite a few wood wasps that were probably attracted by the smell of freshly cut spruce.

The wood wasp's "drill bit" is clearly seen in the picture as a narrow black vertical line.

love to see them, totally harmless but do make a lot of holes:thumbup1:

We kill any we see.Rumour has it they are Spies from Sweden.

Its an ovipositor. They look pretty scary but they do not sting.

I often see them around my wood pile too when cutting logs!

Nice picture!

This solitory wasp - Ectemnius lituratus, has taken to boring into old erni here.

Attacked on two fronts by bugs & fung

.

Not a wood wasp, but a wasp beatle

The very rare six legged, two headed one.

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