Invertebrates
Giant Woodwasp
Urocerus gigas · also called giant horntail
On a stack of pine logs in a forest clearing, a giant woodwasp lowers a long egg-laying tube into the bark, looking far more dangerous than she is.
Overview
The giant woodwasp, Urocerus gigas, is a large, yellow-and-black wood-boring sawfly of conifer forests across Europe, Asia, and North America. Its hornet-like look, long egg-laying tube, and partnership with a wood-digesting fungus make it one of the most impressive and misunderstood insects of the forest.
A harmless giant
Despite its alarming appearance, the giant woodwasp has no stinger, and the spine on the female is used only to drill into wood and lay eggs.
Status
Not Evaluated, but widespread across conifer forests.
Giant Woodwasp: common questions
Is the giant woodwasp dangerous?
No, the long spine on the female is an egg-laying tube, not a stinger, and she is harmless to people.
What does the woodwasp larva eat?
It bores through the wood of conifers, helped by a fungus that the mother injects with her eggs.
How long does it take to develop?
The larvae tunnel through the wood for two or three years or more before emerging as adults.
Where is the giant woodwasp found?
It lives in conifer forests and timber across Europe, Asia, and North America.