# Giant Woodwasp (*Urocerus gigas*)

The Giant Woodwasp is a big, fascinating insect that loves to live in trees. It has a long body and can be found buzzing around in forests, making it a special part of nature!

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Habitat:** Forests

![Giant Woodwasp](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Urocerus_gigas5.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Holger Gröschl, CC BY-SA 2.0 de · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Urocerus_gigas5.jpg)

## Appearance

The Giant Woodwasp has a robust, cylindrical body typically striped black and bright yellow, with smoky-brown wings. Females possess an incredibly long, needle-like ovipositor extending from their rear, often mistaken for a sting, making them visually distinct.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Hymenoptera
- **Family:** Siricidae
- **Genus:** Urocerus

## Interesting facts

- Despite its giant 'stinger', the female woodwasp cannot sting humans!
- Female woodwasps carry tiny fungi to plant with their eggs, aiding wood digestion!
- Its larvae live inside wood for years, sometimes up to three, before emerging!
- They are attracted to recently dead or dying conifer trees for their nurseries!

## Special abilities

- **Super Driller:** Giant Woodwasp females can drill deep into dead wood using their tough ovipositor to lay eggs, reaching their food source.
- **Wood Digestion:** Giant Woodwasp larvae can digest tough wood because they carry helpful fungi that break down the plant material for them.
- **Forest Recycler:** Giant Woodwasp larvae help clear forests by tunneling through dead timber, speeding up its natural breakdown.

## Measurements & details

- **Wingspan:** 40-80 mm
- **Size:** 20-40 mm
- **Lifespan:** 10-30 days
- **Leg Count:** 6

## Diet & Feeding

Larvae munch on dead wood, while adult Giant Woodwasps eat little to nothing.

- **Age differences:** Larvae consume wood, but adults are non-feeding or only consume small amounts of sap.
- **Primary Foods:** Coniferous Wood, Pine, Spruce, Fir, Larch

## Ecological connections

- **Parasitizes:** Giant Ichneumon Wasp (*Rhyssa persuasoria*) — Lays eggs on Giant Woodwasp larvae inside wood.
- **Eats:** Three-toed Woodpecker (*Picoides tridactylus*) — Drills into wood to find and eat woodwasp larvae.
- **Symbiotic with:** Wood Rot Fungus (*Amylostereum areolatum*) — Wasp carries fungus; fungus helps larvae digest wood.
- **Eats:** [Scots Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scots-pine) (*Pinus sylvestris*) — Larvae tunnel through and consume the wood of dead pines.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.
- [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

It's best to watch these wasps from a distance and not touch them.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Giant Woodwasp?

Compare the antennae, wings, waist, body hair and legs. Yellow and black stripes show up on bees, wasps and harmless mimics alike. Bee & Wasp Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### What is Giant Woodwasp's wingspan?

40-80 mm

### How big is Giant Woodwasp?

20-40 mm

### How long does Giant Woodwasp live?

10-30 days

### What does Giant Woodwasp eat?

Larvae munch on dead wood, while adult Giant Woodwasps eat little to nothing.

### Where is Giant Woodwasp usually found?

Forests

### How many legs does Giant Woodwasp have?

6

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [Giant Woodwasp: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/giant-woodwasp)