Pigeon Horntail (Tremex columba) on Sep 6, 2025

Submitter does not have a specimen

Description of specimen

It appeared on the mesh screen. As you can see from the photo the insect has a large stinger type protrusion. Its wings cannot be seen there.
When I tapped the screen it hovered. It did so with 4 wings, and vertically. The wings were very noisy, with multiple aspects to the sound.
When it flew it was horizontal with its body forming an upwards-U shape.

Commentary

Thank you for your report! That is a woodwasp (family Siricidae). They are borers in dead and stressed trees. The big "stinger" is her ovipositor for laying eggs under the bark of trees. Your photo isn't clear enough for me to find details, so I'm guessing based on body shape and length of the ovipositor that it's Tremex columba ("Pigeon tremex").

Tom Valente
Sept. 8, 2025, 1:41 a.m.