Horntail or wood wasp is the common name for any of the 150 non-social species of the family Siricidae, of the order Hymenoptera, a type of xylophagous sawfly. This family was, until recently, believed to be the sole living representative of the superfamily Siricoidea, a group well represented in early Tertiary and Mesozoic times, but the family Anaxyelidae has recently been linked to this group. The last tergite of the abdomen has a strong, projecting spike, thus giving the group its common name. A typical adult horntail is brown, blue, or black with yellow parts, and may often reach up to 4 cm long. The pigeon horntail can grow up to 5 cm long, among the longest of all Hymenoptera. Female horntails lay their eggs in trees. The larvae bore into the wood and live in the tree for up to two years, possibly more. They typically migrate to just under the bark before pupation. The spiral groove on the ovipositor is visible on the photograph but not easily to the naked eye. Wikipedia [ - ]

Horntail or wood wasp is the common name for any of the 150 non-social species of the family... [ + ]