Scary Bugger
This scary bug is a parasitoid wasp in the Ichneumonidae family, having a quiet lunch:
There are a great many species of these, and they are hard to tell apart, but I think this one is a Gasteruption jaculator.
They lay eggs on the larvae of solitary bees using the long drill (ovipositor) you see in the photos. After hatching, the wasp's larva consumes its still living host.
They can't sting or use poison like regular wasps, but the females will use their ovipositor in self-defense when cornered, and getting stung with it hurts like fuck smarts a bit.
All in all, not the most pleasant of insects, especially if you like bees.
Here's an older photo of this species, in which it seems to be looking at me quizzingly:
I escaped unharmed.
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what a beautiful capture! Amazing snap! I'm so amazed by your photography!
That is some antenna whip.
yeah. But did the wasp @ocrdu. I hope you totally flattened it! 😂
So, I take it you don't like wasps much? Just guessing 8-).
I'm not keen on wasps generally @ocrdu but those particular ones look horrendous. 😱
Don't worry, these are not aggressive, they avoid humans, and they have no poison. They only use the long egg-laying bit in self defense when they feel cornered.
Smetimes I see some of them here and I also met a female, because I perfectly remember she hurted me and, argh, it was not an happy meeting ^_^
They rarely use the long egg-laying bit in defense, but when they do ...
Not pleasant, no 8-).