Giant woodwasp
Urocerus gigas
The giant woodwasp (Urocerus gigas) is one of the largest European hymenopterans, belonging to the horntail family (Siricidae). Its body length ranges from 12 to 45 mm, with females possessing a long, rigid ovipositor that resembles a stinger. The insect features striking black-and-yellow warning coloration mimicking a hornet (Batesian mimicry), though it is completely harmless to humans and cannot sting. This species inhabits coniferous and mixed forests, primarily associated with spruce, fir, and pine trees. Females lay eggs deep inside the wood of weakened, felled, or dying trees, simultaneously inoculating the timber with symbiotic wood-decay fungi that serve as food for the developing larvae. Larval development typically lasts 2–3 years, and adult horntails are active from June to September, often seen near timber yards and sawmills.