what are these wasps???

[PCTREE]

OK took down 2 Norway maples today that were dead/ dying. Noticed these wasps all over them, appeared to be laying eggs. How the heck they insert that needle/stinger an inch or so into wood is beyond me.

Anybody know what they are???

 

[gf beranek]

they pierce the bark and lay the eggs in the cambium. When have a similar species, but much more full bodied.

 

[PCTREE]

These suckers were about 2" in length. Would they be responsible for the trees death???

 

[gf beranek]

The ones here only lay their eggs in trees that are weak and dying. Very prolific in the white fir almost immediately after falling the tree. I think their called Dobson flies or something like that. The locals call them stump F'rs

 

[cory]

we have em in CT too, not sure of their nat history nor name.

 

[brendonv]

I think "Wood Wasps".

A customer was just showing me a picture of them the other day.

 

[gf beranek]

the one we have http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJArsRpNHyA

 

[Underwor]

Is this a clear wing borer moth instead of a wasp. The antennae are not jointed. I can't see it clear enough to see if the antennae have the little hairs on them that moths have. Around here in the fall you find all sorts of the clear wings clinging to the side of the trees, dead. They look enough like wasps to scare the crap out of you when you are climbing and one lands on your arm, but no sting involved. I always wondered how they got that long ovipositor into the trunk.

 

[Paul B]

Here's one we saw this weekend. PNW woods, northwest Washington state. Ideas?

 

[gf beranek]

They drill. I had one bore through my jacket, behind my shoulder, and kept getting this irritating feeling. I ask a guy at work if he could see any thing there. "Oh yeah, Jer, you got a stump F'r on your back"

 

[gf beranek]

That's them, Paul.

 

[Paul B]

ha! good to know, thanks Jerry, Bub wanted to stomp it, looks like I shoulda let him.

 

[gf beranek]

I don't know if they can actually sting. But they sure do appear menacing flying about the work site.

 

[Old Monkey]

After a fire those buggers get whipped into a frenzy of egg laying, except they aren't too good at telling the difference between the trunk of a tree and the back of your neck. You're not getting bitten but it hurts all the same.

 

[wiley_p]

I was never a fan of those damn things. Some would be big enough that I swore you could hear them walking on the trunk of a snag.

 

[NickfromWI]

First pic is a Giant Ichneumon. Not sure if I spelled it right, but I found one a few years ago and remember looking it up. Pretty cool bug, if you ask me!