can anyone help?

[jofi]

Hi, am new to this insect stuff so please forgive any mistakes on my part

Was just in the garden with my other half when I heard an expletive! a big flying thing hit her and landed, this thing was about 1 1/2 inches in length, the majority of it's body was black with very slight yellowy orange stripes at the bottom end of the thorax, at the tip of the thorax(this is the end?) there were two let me just say big jags sticking out, if they were stingers I am glad I ran, my partner heard it first she said it sounded like a helicopter then it landed with a thud, I have seen two last year and they kind of look like they are that big they just drop and land, you can actually hear them land, you can hear them fly........ it may be completely harmless bit like arny swartznegger you know he may be a really nice chap but you don't want to get in a tangle with him know what I mean, I live on the west coast of Scotland so don't know if that is relevent, at first I thought it was a hornet but is big and mean looking I think a hornet would run as well.

Anyway gave me the heebies, if it is harmless it can do what it wants, does anyone have any ideas, have looked through your Gallery but couldn't find anything that looked like it but will have another squize, ta for reading and hopefully replying.

Have a cool one peeps

peace and light
jofi

[Jason Green]

Afternoon Jofi, and welcome to WAB!

How about a female (I imagine the stinger was an ovipositor - a harmless egg-laying tube) Ichneumon Wasp?

See this Ichneumon Wasp:

The last part of the insect is actually the abdomen - it goes Head, Thorax and Abdomen (or gaster with some).

Take care,

Jason

[jofi]

Hi Jason thanks for replying so quickly, my apologies for my ignorance dogs I know but insects sheesh!

Anyway, your picture, the stripes were slightly narrower and more orangy yellow than yellowy the legs were black, and it seemed to have a thickness in it's body, the barb looking things there were two quite close to each other would that be an egg laying thing? and honestly this thing doesn't buzz like a bee it has more of that heavier flying insect sound like a cockroach, you can hear the flapping does that make sense?

Thanks again Jason

peace and light

jofi

[jofi]

looks similar to a Ichneumon-Pimpla Hypochondriaca but has two spikes and has yellowy orange stripes on lower end of abdomen will keep looking

Ichneumon stramentariu...


Amblyteles armatorius

[Jason Green]

Yes, could be along those lines. With 3,500 different species in the UK seperation is impossible from photos in most cases (needs a microscope and specimen).

Could you upload a colour drawing to our Image Archive Login - Wild About Britain Pics please? That would give us more to go on...

[jofi]

Hi Jason, can do better than that have put a picture in Gallery as my cats kindly brought it into the house although I put it under unidentified I think it may well have gone into identified, titled big flying thing! if you need further pics or you would like me to send it to you(sadly I had to dispatch it bit mangled) then can do that as well....... are you allowed to send insects through the post? anyway see what you think.


Regards

Jofi

[asheleaf]

[Jason Claxton]

Hi Jofi

Your picture in the Gallery looks like Urocerus gigas,the Greater Horntail Sawfly.Ah I see your picture has arrived now,cheers Ashe.

Cheers Jason

[jofi]

ok, is it a scary run for the hills or can I invite it to tea?


jofi

[Jason Green]

Yes, invite it! I doubt it'll be a problem. Thanks for the photograph - very helpful, I hadn't thought of that one. Thanks for the image inclusion, Ashe.