Guest Wildlife
Photographers:
Peter & Erica Clarke ______
Page 1
GREATER HORNTAIL Urocerus
gigas (f)
- The Greater
Horntail is a sawfly belonging to the family Siricidae.
Otherwise known as the Wood Wasp, this
insect is normally either found in pinewoods or in the
vicinity of new buildings from which the adult has
recently emerged. The fierce looking ovipositor is
used in order to insert the eggs into tree trunks and the
larvae then mature for 2-3 years. Despite the imposing
appearance the insect cannot sting and it is completely
innocuous. The specimen above was presented to
Peter and Erica Clarke by the family cat. This photgraph
of the captive insect was taken with a three day old
digital camera.
© Peter &
Erica Clarke.
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