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Old 20 August 2006, 07:50 AM   #1
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Icon4 Giant Wasp

I came home from work Friday and noticed what looked like a wasp/dragonfly cross flying around a dead oak tree we have out front. I first saw these last summer, but didn't get a picture. I quickly ran in and grabbed the camera, and took some shots of what I now know is a Giant Ichneumon wasp known as Megarhyssa.




This wasp is a female and the long item on the back end that looks like a massive stinger is in fact a part of the anatomy (ovipositor) that allows this wasp to deposit eggs in dead trees. The larvae hatch and feed on other insect larvae in the tree.





I was pleased to get these pictures because last year they were only there for a day or two, and every time I tried to get a photo they would fly away. I will say that I had to get closer to this than I was comfortable with to get the photos, but that paid off (and I didn't get stung! ). There were actually 3 or 4 of these flying around the same area.......Including the ovipositor this example was around 100mm long!

Hope you enjoy the pics!
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Old 20 August 2006, 07:54 AM   #2
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Wow!!! Fantastic photos, Al. My wife would run screaming from that wasp - she is dangerously allergic to the sting of things like that.

Thanks for sharing some really fine shots!
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Old 20 August 2006, 07:56 AM   #3
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Once again, some fine close-up photography, Al. You are quite a multi-talented guy!!
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Old 20 August 2006, 09:56 AM   #4
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Boy, now that's a wasp. Wouldn't look out of place fighting godzilla somewhere over tokyo. Great pics too, btw!
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Old 20 August 2006, 07:01 PM   #5
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Great pictures Al strange looking insect.
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Old 21 August 2006, 01:37 AM   #6
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Great pics, glad it was you , not me taking those ones.
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Old 21 August 2006, 10:53 AM   #7
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I went back to the same tree today to see what was there, and found several of these:



So it appears that when these things deposit their eggs, they die in the process by ripping off part of their own bodies....

It also seems that several variants of these things like this same tree. Here is a much much smaller one there today:




And another variation - this one between the two others in size, but closer to the smaller one than the giant one:



Interesting things you sometimes find in your own yard!

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Old 21 August 2006, 11:43 AM   #8
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Very cool photos indeed, Al. Things we take for granted every day, and don't take (or have) the time to examine and appreciate.
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Old 24 August 2006, 10:44 PM   #9
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Looks pretty ugly... i wonder how it would far against the giant water bug I found in my pool skimmer last summer.
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Old 25 August 2006, 12:39 AM   #10
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At least

At least they are not spiders - I really don't like spiders! Great pictures!
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Old 25 August 2006, 02:06 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by The Dude View Post
At least they are not spiders - I really don't like spiders! Great pictures!
You mean like this one:




Or this one - it's one big spider!




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Old 25 August 2006, 01:09 PM   #12
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bastard!!!!

Bastard! *Shaking fist in the air!* Now I won't be able to sleep!

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You mean like this one:

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