Insect experts - do you know what this is?

[Pink Dragonfly]

I came across this wee beastie today and I thought that tail looked rather vicious. Does anyone know what it is?

Mette

[SenorNikonMan]

I don't know but they might here:

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/ask-whats-that-bug/

[Dylan8i]

im not sure what species it is, but usually those long tails are actually just ovapositers, they stick them in wood (or othere vegatative material) and then lay eggs, not for stinging at all.

[Pink Dragonfly]

Thanks for the tip, it seems a pretty useful site! I've written off to the "bugman" and am now awaiting a reply. And thanks for the info, Dylan - both enlightning and reassuring

Mette

[paulnj]

that does look like a borer on it's rump, but I see no ovapositors. Maybe it's a parasitic wasp?

[Pink Dragonfly]

Thanks, Paul - I think you could well be right there. I just googled for images of parasitic wasps and amongst others found this one

http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/showimage/4121/

There certainly seems to be a strong resemblance!

Mette

[Loupey]

I don't know either. I assume that you shot this in Denmark?

Coincidentally, I found a very similar-looking insect last week on our neighbor's property. If you find out the true identity of this fellow, please let us know. I'd like to see if it is similar to my find. Thanks!

[Pink Dragonfly]

Yep, in my very "own" Paradise here in the city, the botanical gardens (just 10 mins walk from my flat), on my favourite "bee bush". I haven't heard from the bugman yet, but I think Paul's suggestion of a parasitic wasp is a pretty good one when looking at the images (see link in my previous post). But I'll be sure to let you know what the bugman says! One certainly becomes a lot more interested in these wee creepy crawlies when photographing them

Mette

[Loupey]

Mette, would it be OK to post my shot of the bug I photographed in this thread? So you can see if it looks similar to yours?

When I shot it, I immediately thought it was an invasive species (hard to surprise someone with a new big bug after 40+ years ) and so I'd like to confirm it with you and the bugman.

[Pink Dragonfly]

But of course You could also try and send yours off to the bugman?

Mette

[Loupey]

Thanks! (don't know who the bugman is tho)

Here's mine. The abdomen looks thicker. Shot September 20 just after a huge windstorm had snapped off a section of a tree.

The critter was quite long (35mm to 40mm) and appeared to be trying to bore a hole in the freshly exposed wood.

[Pink Dragonfly]

To my untrained bugeye, there does appear to be a certain similarity... And yours definitely has a waspy touch to it! I'd investigate the parasitic wasp line on that one.

The bugman, as kindly suggested by SeniorNikonMan, is found at

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/ask-whats-that-bug/

Mette

[paulnj]

Loupey, that's a pidgeon horntail and Mette, you have a horntail too I do believe.

[SenorNikonMan]

Thanks! (don't know who the bugman is tho)

The bugman is the guy on the website I provided a link to above.

[Loupey]

The bugman is the guy on the website I provided a link to above.

Ahem, I knew that

Paulnj and I read every thread and every post in the N/W thread. Just a temporary mind lapse on my part

[Pink Dragonfly]

I've now looked at a lot of photos on the Internet, and I would tend to agree that Loupey's bug is pidgeon horntail, Tremex columba, a kind of wood wasp I believe - also fits with your description of where you found it and what it was doing. But I really can't tell whether mine is a horntail or a parasitic wasp??? They look VERY similar to me, and with my not so brilliant photo, it's hard to tell (for me anyway) whether it has a narrow waist or not? But I'm certainly learning a lot along the way

Mette

[SenorNikonMan]

Ahem, I knew that

Paulnj and I read every thread and every post in the N/W thread. Just a temporary mind lapse on my part

No problem. I have brain farts all the time too.

[Pink Dragonfly]

I don't know but they might here:

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/ask-whats-that-bug/

SenorNikonMan, how long do these guys usually take to reply? I'm not getting impatient or anything, just curious...

Mette

[Pink Dragonfly]

Hi guys, thought I'd let you know what I've found out about my wee beastie (or not found out as the case may be!). First of all, I wrote to the bugman as Nikonman suggested but they never replied... Then I asked my daughters teacher though he's more of a bird nerd than an insect nerd...His suggestion was that it could be Urocerus gigas taiganus but we couldn't find any photos on the Internet. It's a subspecies of the giant horntail with a darker colouring. Then I joined a Danish Internet forum, "Birds and Nature", as their pages kept cropping up in my searches for nature stuff. Nobody there was too sure either! Their suggestion was that it was an Ichneumonidae indet., ie unknown parasitic wasp! So that's how the score stands for now...Thanks for all your input, I might not have the final answer butas I said before, I'm learning a lot along the way Now I know about ovapositors...

Mette