Scariest insect I've ever seen

[brian hegarty]

Met this guy in the forestry today. Anyone able to tell me what it is?

 

 

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[dan494]

Looks like a wood wasp? Hard to tell by the pic, big stinger about 1cm hanging out the back of it?

[Steve Bullman]

Looks like a wood wasp? Hard to tell by the pic, big stinger about 1cm hanging out the back of it?

 

Except its not a stinger. Wood wasps are harmless, just look scary!

[dan494]

Except its not a stinger. Wood wasps are harmless, just look scary!

 

I've heard that it's not a stinger, but I'm not convinced, if see one, I'm off!!

[porky]

I think they feed off the sugary softwood sap. I've seen them before on larch straight after felling.

[Stephen Blair]

Wood wasp, the chinook of the bee world.

Harmless yet terrifying!!!

[Steve Bullman]

haha. I bombed out of a huge Leb Cedar in my early days of climbing. Had taken me forever to get up there too as I was quite inexperienced...no sooner did I get to the top when I heard the loudest buzzing i've heard and spotted what I assumed was a hornet.

 

The 'stinger' is actually a bore that the female wasp uses to bore into wood to lay her eggs, and definetly not a stinger

[Adam Bourne]

haha. I bombed out of a huge Leb Cedar in my early days of climbing. Had taken me forever to get up there too as I was quite inexperienced...no sooner did I get to the top when I heard the loudest buzzing i've heard and spotted what I assumed was a hornet.

 

The 'stinger' is actually a bore that the female wasp uses to bore into wood to lay her eggs, and definetly not a stinger

 

Your absolutely spot on mate, that's exactly what they use it for

 

I think there awesome, couple weeks ago I was doing some conny slashing and whilst sat down having a drink one landed on me, I did scream like a girl and missed an excellent opportunity to get a few great photos but my initial reaction was to much for it and scared it of!!! lol

 

 

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[simont]

I did scream like a girl.

 

At least your honest.

 

Loads of wasps in the garden at the moment. Cant find the nest but am on the look out.

[Stephen Blair]

First 1 I ever saw got tangled in my chest hair while sharpening a saw outside!!

 

I jumped, screamed and ran away!!

Came back and put it in a jar as it was stunned, my mate came over and told me what it was and I let it go.

 

Real tree men run with jazz hands:biggrin: