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Pigeon Horntail

Posted by July 21st, 2008 at 12:00 am

Categories

Horntails, Wood Wasps and Sawflies

Strange wasp – can you name?
Bugman,
Attached is a photo of what I think is some kind of wasp. I live in central Missouri and took this picture this last weekend while at an outdoor birthday party. This thing was pretty big – almost 2 inches long. I’ve never seen anything quit like it. I’d love it if you could shed a little light on this strange looking critter. Thanks,
Bill Powell

Hi Bill,
This is a Pigeon Horntail, a type of Wood Wasp. The female lays her eggs in dead and dying wood and the larvae are wood boring. What looks like a fearsome stinger is the ovipositor, and the Pigeon Horntail does not sting.

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