Please can you help with identification

butterfly woman · #1 (**permalink**) 27-05-2011, 06:51 PM

Hi there everyone, I'm a newby and I'm really hoping that you can help me to identify a large insect that has made a nest in a hole in the brickwork of my house.

It appears to be either a large wasp or perhaps a hornet. It is a least 4cm (possibly 5cm) long, has no apparent 'stinger', is yellow and black striped and has a distinctive red tail.It makes quite a noise.

It seems to be solitary, that is I believe that it is the same wasp/hornet coming and going from the nest. It always flies off in the same direction when leaving the nest and has never shown any interest or aggression towards me when I have been around it.

I live in Sussex in a walled and very warm and warmth retaining garden. It is the largest wasp I have ever seen.
My issue is that my partner wants to destroy the nest which I am totally against. I'm hoping that by identifying it and gettting some information about it that I can persuade him that it is in no way a 'threat' to us or our children.

I could catch it and take a photo if needed.

many thanks for any help you can give,

butterfly woman

Africa · #2 (**permalink**) 27-05-2011, 07:52 PM

Welcome to WAB! It sounds like it could be some type of hornet, but identification would be easier if you manage to get a shot and post it here.

JRsbugs · #3 (**permalink**) 27-05-2011, 07:56 PM

Hello butterfly woman, welcome to WAB.

It sounds like a hornet, Vespa crabro ssp. vexator which is the form found in the UK. They are very big, and make a scary noise but are not harmful to anyone. The colour is not quite as you describe though, but close and if you google you will find pics, besides I don't think there is another which makes such a noise. They catch flies etc. to feed their young, if it's going in a gap in your wall I guess you have a cavity wall?

The other big one is Urocerus gigas but the female has a long ovipositor, and lays her eggs in old wood.

I would be against destroying the nest too, I have all sorts of wasps around me and they never bother me. A good opportunity to teach your children (and partner) about our wildlife.

Janet

butterfly woman · #4 (**permalink**) 28-05-2011, 03:37 PM

Hi Janet, thanks so much for your reply.

I have Googled the Vespa crabo ssp. vexator and the Urocerus gigas and I'm afraid that it's neither of those.

It is elongated but still in proportion with the rest of itsekf, if that makes sense.... it's BIG all over. And the lower segment of the body is red....markedly so, like red coral.

I am going to atttempt to gently catch her tomorrow and will photograph her next to something to show her size.

A friend has suggested that as we live next to the airport, that it could be something from abroad that's come in on a plane. We had a tarantula arrive one day in our house....so who knows ???!!!

many thanks,

butterfly woman