Willow wood-wasp

Another day with very little time or motivation for photography. I spent much of the day with the local botanical recording group at Orton Pit. It was an enjoyable trip, albeit very hot and humid by the time we packed up. I'd been hoping to take some photographs while I was out, but the landscape seems to have descended into late August dullness and it was too breezy for macros of plants or butterflies, which included clouds of common blues and several clouded yellows.

Instead I came home and photographed this willow wood-wasp Xiphydria prolongata. Wood-wasps are a rather primitive form of saw-fly whose larvae develop inside trees. This particular species has a fairly restricted distribution, although due to their life history, wood-wasps are generally rarely seen. Once the males emerge they tend to fly around in the canopy, so it's usually females that are spotted. On this one you can quite clearly see the long saw-toothed ovipositor used to cut into wood. Despite a somewhat fearsome appearance, the wood-wasps are completely harmless and quite unable to sting.