This thing is about as big as a golf ball and has a long black tube (an ovipositor?) which it is thrusting into the hole beneath it. I am assuming it is a queen, though I thought she would be more protected. I see no other similar insects anywhere around...
There are dozens of holes like the one she is currently using...or making...should I do something to make sure these eggs don't hatch?
Thanks in advance for any help!
Lisa
It's a wood wasp or Pigeon Horntail, Tremex columba. They're harmless. These aren't social wasps, so there are no queens. They lay their eggs in sick or dying trees, and can become food for other wasps. I think they're supposed to be the biggest wasps, but they're kind of not really wasps - their classification is kindof tricky.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/36832
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horntail
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/sawflies.html
There's no picture for this one in bug files yet:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/1469/
