Can you identify please

oggiewill · #1 (**permalink**) 29-09-2009, 12:00 PM

Hi All
Since building a pond in my garden i have never seen so many different insects in my puff however while cleaning around my pump i found this nasty looking chappy but dont know what it is.
The picture does not do it justice in that it is jet glossy black from head to what looks like a sting and the orange bits on both fore and hind legs is flourescent red it was aprox 30mm long
regards

will

JRsbugs · #2 (**permalink**) 29-09-2009, 12:07 PM

Hi Will, welcome to WAB.

You have forgotten to post the picture, if you try again and click on the icon at the bottom right 'library images' then select the pic with a single click you will get a thumbnail link to it.

Sounds like an Ichneumon wasp, the 'sting' will be the female ovipositor.

Janet

oggiewill · #3 (**permalink**) 29-09-2009, 12:23 PM

Still working this out picture is called beastie where do you view it

JRsbugs · #4 (**permalink**) 29-09-2009, 12:31 PM

The 'image library' icon as mentioned is at the bottom right of where you type for your post.

I found them anyway! I have copied and pasted the thumbnails links, if you get them from the icon yourself they would be in a horizontal row, 5 will fit across.

JRsbugs · #5 (**permalink**) 29-09-2009, 12:31 PM

And it is an Ichneumon wasp, female.

I should add I think it is, as the pics are distant. There is also a giant wood wasp which it could be.

oggiewill · #6 (**permalink**) 29-09-2009, 12:36 PM

Cheers for that
Are they harmless?
I am in the isle of islay should they be here?

oggiewill · #7 (**permalink**) 29-09-2009, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRsbugs

And it is an Ichneumon wasp, female.

I should add I think it is, as the pics are distant. There is also a giant wood wasp which it could be.

I am on a fish forum and they said it was a wood wasp however looking up wood wasps i could not find any that looked like it
sorry about quality as im no david balley

JRsbugs · #8 (**permalink**) 29-09-2009, 12:52 PM

Looking at the shape I would say it is the wood wasp, Uroceras gigas altough it's actually a sawfly! You do have it.

The Highland Biological Recording Group

Dogghound · #9 (**permalink**) 29-09-2009, 09:07 PM

Looks like Pimpla a very common genus of ichneumonid Wasp.

JRsbugs · #10 (**permalink**) 29-09-2009, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Looks like Pimpla a very common genus of ichneumonid Wasp.

That was my first thought, but I thought I could see that squarish head shape. It does have very thick hind legs, which doesn't really match Uroceras gigas, they are a bit too orange too so I go back to my original thought!