Unidentified Insect

[Silver_1000]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help. I saw a black bodied wasp/hornet like insect today about 1 inch in length maybe slightly longer (body looked similar to that of a very large ant), it had six legs which were orange in colour and clear wings, sorry I'm not sure if there were two sets or a single set of wings. It had a long sting-like piece coming out of the abdomen. I've never seen anything like this before, so was just wondering what on earth it was? I live in Cheshire if that's any help?

Thank you

[htcdude]

Maybe Tachina grossa?

Nige

[Dogghound]

Try Urocerus gigas

[Kayleigh]

As dogghound said (Urocerus gigas) it sounds like a giant woodwasp they are harmelss the stinger is not a stinger they cant sting its a ovipositor used to lay eggs in wood it was a female you saw..
here is a very poor pic of one..

[Silver_1000]

Thanks the pictures look kind of similar but the body did not have any yellow stripes, the whole of the body was black, as you thought I'd seen a female do they not have any stripes? Thank you for the reply

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Silver_1000

Thanks the pictures look kind of similar but the body did not have any yellow stripes, the whole of the body was black, as you thought I'd seen a female do they not have any stripes? Thank you for the reply

The ovipositor made me thing it was female as the males don't lay eggs..
I think you need to get a pic for a positive ID.
Have a look at the others suggestions mine was only so you could rule it out.
Without a pic its only guess work..

[Falcon5]

Ichneumon wasp/fly?

Good luck with ID

[John_M]

Sounds like an ichneumon.

[Jason Green]

My thoughts exactly (not following you, John!).

[Silver_1000]

Thank you, had a real good search for photos of the Ichneumon Wasp and found one that really looked like what I saw, thank you! Curiosity quenched. Can't believe that I have never seen one of these before.