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Horntails, Wood Wasps and SawfliesWhat species of Wasp (?) is this?
July 25, 2009
I found this huge wasp-looking insect in my car, it is over an inch long and has a pure black body, and yellow bands on its legs. It has a huge thick stinger, I have never seen this insect before and would like to know what it is.
Lauren B.
Canada, British Columbia
Hi Lauren,
This is a Wood Wasp in the genus Urocerus, probably Urocerus albicornis based on images posted to BugGuide. Your Wood Wasp may look fierce, but she cannot sting, not only because she is dead, but because what looks like a stinger is actually the ovipositor for laying eggs within wood.
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