CLOSED: What is this BUG???

I guess this is some sort of bee relative but it sure is nasty looking. I guess it is about 2 inches long with a wing span at least that. It has one big stinger thing hanging off it's rear. Oh, that is a 2x4 it is laying on. So what the heck is it??

Yoiks! It's nasty, that's what it is! lol It looks like a yellow jacket gone gorilla. Please keep it on your end of the pool. I have enough trouble with wasps trying to make their nests under the stepping stones in the veggie garden. I tromp around in bare feet so........ I keep watering mama wasp and hope she moves on so I dont havve to do something more drastic. The neighbors have a nice yard. Hehe

Maybe a Paperwasp?? http://www.terminix.com/Pest/Library/Identify/index.cfm?fuseaction=category&pestCategory=Stinging&pestID=57 appears to be similar to yellowjacket, but the head is different. Both have the Victorian waist, but the wasp has a much tighter corset.

Maybe a Mud Dauber?
http://entowww.tamu.edu/extension/youth/bug/bug155.html

We call them "cicada killers" or Japanese Hornets

looks like some kind of hornet to me too Susie.
Don't put yer finger on it!

It could be a wood wasp that bores a tiny hole in wood and lays it's egg on a beetle grub inside

could this be what it is?
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=www.loven.plus.com/nicksspiders/insects/waspmunch.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.loven.plus.com/nicksspiders/insects/hymenoptera.htm&h=240&w=320&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dinsects%252Bwood%2Bbees%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8

Thanks a lot for all your good guesses! Sorry I have not been back. It's been a busy few days. None of these pictures are right though. I went out to get another pic or two and my dc batteries bit the dust. You can see the design on his last segment. It is mirror image on the other side. It has no stripes, just those two yellow blobs on each side. The middle segment has reddish hairs as does it's legs.

Still looks like a Mud Dauber to me, Badseed. Here is another picture of one: http://eny3005.ifas.ufl.edu/lab1/Hymenoptera/Sphecid.htm
And thanks for not spelling "a lot" as "allot" or "alot" as everybody else seems to do nowadays.

Thanks Ulrich! The second picture does look more like it. The first picture with the long skinny, pole like middle threw me. It's body definately has three segments, one being the head. Giggle about the spelling-a subject I excelled in. My favorite is huge spelled hugh. :) My biggest typo is leaving the r off the end of your.

Should have put a link with my reply above. Here is what a "cicada killer" looks like http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/lawn/note63/note63.html

You guys nailed it. That is what I have. :)

seed; still...don't put yer finger on it! ;~)

There are three kind of these giant wasps up here in PA. Yours, a solid red one, and a black and silver one. All are ground dwellers and it's a funny sight to sit near their holes in cicada season and watch them fly in with one held under their abdomen. Looks like they couldn't even get the things off the ground, but the manage to bring in cicadas by the dozens

George

Hey George, you got me wonderin...when is the next big cicada invasion spost ta hit? Ain't that those critters that are dormant for a spell and then there's a population explosion of em?

It's a Yellow Jacket
http://www.yahooligans.com/content/animals/photo/9809.html

Thanks for your reply g101. If you go back up and look at the links from Ulrich and Cala, the critter there is what I have. Nasty little bugger. Nice to see you again.

seed; again...don't put yer finger on it! ;~)

I only handle it with little sticks. LOL

How little?? It can still fly atchee!! Be careful!

I'm allergic to bee stings, ain't that sumpin? Me, allergic to bee stings, a Master Gardener who spends practically 6 or 7 hours a day in the garden!!

Honey, you do realize it is deader then dead don't ya??? LOL I found it dead on the deck! ROTFLOL It still has it's mighty big stinger though. :) I guess I should give it a proper burial in the circular file.

Sweetheart...a dead bee is still capable of one powerful last attempt to seek out revenge! So, be careful when you put it in the circular file and....don't put yer finger on it! ;~)

LOL You are too much!

You all would have laughed hard at me yesturday as I am also very alergic to Bees. One dived at me and twice tried to light upon my neck. I have not run so hard waving my arms about in over 30 years, my girl kept yellin your ticking it off waving at it, I yelled back well I'm not saying Hi to it Honey.

g101usa; I know that feelin very well! LOL! ;~)