Author Topic: Buzzy scary huge 'aaaggghhhh' bug! (Read 11489 times)

Mrs Ava · « **on:** April 27, 2005, 17:50:46 »

No photo though :-\, forgot to take my camera. I have been googling to try and name this mystery flying critter but am having no luck so I thought one of you clever lot are bound to know.

Okay, imagine a long wasp, and I mean about 1 and a half inches long! However, rather than yellow and black stripes, it was more orangey brown. It was on the ground and at first I thought it was dead, but I reakon it must have recently hatched from something because it suddenly decided to have a fly, in my general direction!!! AAGGHH. Anyhow, composed myself and watched as it buzzed aggresively whilst sitting on one of my shallots. It was HUGE, had big brown eyes and big feeler/antena thingys. I don't want to meet one again thanks. Any ideas??

busy_lizzie · « **Reply #1 on:** April 27, 2005, 18:38:39 »

Did it have a hard shell like body EJ? When we lived in Reading many years ago we came across some monster flying bugs which were stag beetles. They were enormous with large wingspans. We were amazed to see them actually fly with having such big bodies. I was petrified of them, and have never seen the like up here in the North East, - think they like the tropical South. :) busy_lizzie

chriszog · « **Reply #2 on:** April 27, 2005, 18:45:37 »

Possibly a queen wasp, they are hatching out at this time of year.
#
Regards
chris

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #3 on:** April 27, 2005, 18:47:22 »

Nope, I know stag beetles first hand. When my nan and grandad lived in Morden, their back garden backed onto the River Wandle and we would spend many evenings watching and listening to them flying from the trees.

QUEEN WASP, fills be with fear and terror! I shall have to google and see what she would look like. There was no crown though.... ;)

chriszog · « **Reply #4 on:** April 27, 2005, 18:58:07 »

Try localhoney.co.uk they have a section on wasps.
Never tried wasp honey, wonder what it tastes like????
Honey I suppose?
Rambling again
regards

Carol · « **Reply #5 on:** April 27, 2005, 18:59:31 »

It sounds like a Giant Wood Wasp Emma. One of our LARGEST wasps which can be mistaken for a hornet!!!

Oh yuk, dont want to see one of them again!!! Saw one last summer, thats why I sort of know it!!!!

:D :D

Gadfium · « **Reply #6 on:** April 27, 2005, 21:06:50 »

Sounds like a wood wasp to me too... we have quite a few around here, and I have to admit I have a soft spot for them.

Got any coniferous forest/woods near you?

quinny · « **Reply #7 on:** April 27, 2005, 21:19:44 »

Hi EJ,

I could swear dodged one of them a couple of times last summer. Massive, gruesome beastie it was. It reminded me of a B52, I think it had the same engine and wing span. I ran for it so I did, not at it you understand - AWAY from it!

Anyhow, I explained the description of this beastie to my knowledgeable father-in-law, 1.5 inches - bright red/brown yellow and he said it was a SAWFLY, harmless but evil looking.

Have a wee looksee...

http://www.gardensafari.net/english/sawflies.htm

There's one close to the kind I saw on this link but not half as scary or colourful. :o

Doris_Pinks · « **Reply #8 on:** April 28, 2005, 09:18:09 »

Quinny that site made me want to run from my screen.a wasp lover I am not!
EJ we were in a pub last year (what us??!! ::)) and they had a nest in the roof of the most enormous wasps I have ever seen in my life! Had to bring home the one we killed to show the kids, I swear it was the size of an eagle...........OK maybe a slight exaggeration, but it was bigger than any regular queen wasp I have seen. Someone at the house of libation muttered something about these new wasps had come from Europe. I don't ever want a nest of those, the publican said their buzzing kept him awake it was so loud!! :o :o (i think they are looking for world domination!)

the_snail · « **Reply #9 on:** April 28, 2005, 12:17:28 »

It could be a Hornet. See link bellow.

http://www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th4a.htm

the_snail · « **Reply #10 on:** April 28, 2005, 12:19:54 »

Or maybe a Maybug? See link bellow.

http://www.homepages.mcb.net/wormwell/May%20Bug.jpg

aquilegia · « **Reply #11 on:** April 28, 2005, 13:14:57 »

Last summer, a huge wasp (I was guessing it was a queen) kept coming in through our open living room and kitchen windows. I was worried they were nesting in the roof, but never round them. The other evening we left the window open (it was quite warm) and in she can again. (we didn't notice until Mr Aqui saw her crawling along the arm of the sofa right next to him :o)

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #12 on:** April 28, 2005, 18:31:14 »

YUCK! I am going to have nightmares! It defo wasn't a Maybug, and altho a hornet looks similar, they just don't seem big enough, and also orange enough. This one really was more of a deep orange/brown colour. I shudder to think of it. Wish I had my blinking camera. Will take it tomorrow just in case I come across another! Not a wood wasp either. No coniferous woods near us, typical natice deciduous forrest and farmland surrounds us with lots of nearby ponds. I shall keep hunting, and feel free to keep suggesting scary bugs for me to look at, which I do, through my fingers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :o

eileen · « **Reply #13 on:** April 28, 2005, 22:09:13 »

Andrena Haemorrhoa would be my guess Emma Jane. It's a large mining bee which appears early in spring. They play a major roll in pollinating fruit trees. The queen is really quite large and a definite orangey brown colour. Looks more wasp-like than beeish if you know what I mean. Mind you some true, wild Honey bees are also orangey and don't look much like bees either - again more wasp-like.
If it's not one of them then I'm stuck. Hope you manage to get a piccie.

Gadfium · « **Reply #14 on:** April 29, 2005, 01:14:40 »

There is one, odd, wood wasp that can live in deciduous trees, and it is orange/black, up to 40mm with long antennae... Urocerus gigas.

Also Scolia maculata (20-40mm), antennae are a bit stubby though, looks like cross between a bee and a wasp.

And Rhyssa persuasoria (Ichneumon fly) 18-35mm, plus the ovipositor can be another 30-35mm (looks like a stinger, but isn't), which is long and slender, browny orange...

???

BAGGY · « **Reply #15 on:** April 29, 2005, 01:50:02 »

I don't care what it was as Long as they don't take a fancy to my plot. :o :o They sound horrid. Never Mind EJ they might turn out to e goodies and you'll be thankfull for 'em. (here's hoping !!)

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #16 on:** April 29, 2005, 19:11:30 »

UUrrgghhh, this bug huntil lark is horrid! Makes my stomach turn looking at some of these wasps and bees! Anyhow, nope, still not the right thing. This wasn't hairy. Had a proper armour like skin. yuck! Oh well, shall take my camera every visit from now on.

Here's hoping Baggy!

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #17 on:** May 09, 2005, 22:44:59 »

Okay dokey. Went into shed today, reached up to grab something, and what was sitting on the ledge above the door, one of those HUGE scary wasp like things. Sent my darling brave superhero Ava to the plot straight after work tonight, and he caught it in a net, stuck it in a jar, and brought it home to look at!!!

Here it is, dead I am relieved to say. Now, tis more yellow than the first one I saw, however, we have been comparing it to wasps and hornets and as you can see, it has orange/red eyes and legs.

Update, whilst I have been typing, Ava has googled and decided it might be a European Hornet. It's sting was like a hypadermic needle!!!!

BAGGY · « **Reply #18 on:** May 09, 2005, 22:55:16 »

Double yuek !

Gadfium · « **Reply #19 on:** May 10, 2005, 23:05:48 »

I'd agree with the hornet diagnosis too. Vespa crabo? Got the lovely yellow abdomen with teardrop markings. A fearsome beast!

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Author Topic: Buzzy scary huge 'aaaggghhhh' bug! (Read 11489 times)