A relative of the wasps, the female is black and yellow and has a long, stinger-like tail that is actually her ovipositor, which she uses to lay her eggs into wood, particularly pine. The nest, usually suspended in a tree or shrub, is mainly grey but often has coloured bands that reflect the different types of wood used in its construction. What is believed to be a giant wood wasp in Stonehouse (Image: Saraya Moore) "Murder hornets are here," said Saraya Moore. What is a Wood wasp? The terms “wood wasp” and “horntail” are actually used to describe various species of insects that belong to the family Siricidae of the order Hymenoptera and that inhabit wood structures. ... also known as a wood wasp. You can read about it on the UK Safari website where it states: “Sometimes called ‘horntails’ for obvious reasons. The Asian giant hornet is a wasp that is native to forests and mountains in temperate and tropical environments in East Asia. The giant horntail is a massive sawfly that is also known as the 'giant woodwasp' or 'greater horntail wasp'. "It was an evil looking thing. A very large and impressive insect which resembles a wasp or hornet, but is completely harmless. They are called a wasp because of their resemblance to a wasp, but actually don’t sting. The adults can grow up to 1.5 inches in length, and they can infest both broad-leaved or needle-leaved trees. Instead, the large insect that has been giving residents pause looks much more like a giant horntail wasp, a wood-eating bug which – unlike the huge hornet – is harmless to humans, according to experts. The female (above) has a long pointed tube at the back of her body, and this is often mistaken for a stinging organ. The Median Wasp is less aggressive than the two common wasps, despite being dubbed the ‘French killer wasp’ by the press. Huge insect with giant stinger feared to be killer hornet found in family’s garden. In fact it’s an ovipositor, which she uses to lay her eggs in the trunks of coniferous trees. The long ovipositor on the abdomen of the female is used to drill into dead or sickly pine trunks where eggs are laid and the larvae develop feeding on the wood for around three years. 23 August 2013. Fortunately for the people of Hull, the Asian giant hornet, also known as the ‘murder hornet’ is yet to be officially spotted there. The Horntail also generally known as the ‘Giant Wood Wasp’ or even ‘Greater Horntail’ which is a large sawfly, is usually discovered near pine woods, or even locations in which pine timbers are utilized. A relative of the wasps, the female is black and yellow and has a long 'sting'; this is actually her ovipositor through which she lays her eggs into wood, especially pine. The newly found hornets have an … Hi Alex, This is a Great Wood Wasp or Horntail, Urocerus gigas. Giant wood wasp ( Urocerus gigas ) The wasps’ abdomen has a long spike that projects outward, and the females lay their eggs in trees. How Wood Wasps Can Affect Your Property? Also called a wood wasp, this type of wasp has around 150 species and are usually brown, black or blue in color with yellow parts. The Horntail is also known as the 'Giant Wood Wasp' or 'Greater Horntail' and is a massive sawfly. The giant wood wasp (Urocerus gigas) is larger than the Asian hornet and is a relative of the wasps and can be found near pine woods, or places where pine timbers are used. It's an …