With a body length of about 40mm, this female Urocerus gigas is commonly known as the ‘Greater horntail’ or ‘Giant wood wasp’, and is one of U.K.’s largest sawflies. It is found in coniferous forests.
Both males and females have the small chitinous spike seen extending from the end of the abdomen, but only the female has the long ‘tail’. This is an ovipositor which, with saw-like teeth, is used to bore a hole directly into freshly cut or dead pinewood in which to deposit the eggs. The eggs hatch into larvae which remain in tunnels in the wood and may take up to five years to develop into pupae, before emerging as adults.
Unlike true wasps, where the ovipositor has modified into a stinger, the wood wasps are completely harmless and cannot sting.
