Hornet Identification
Sitting out on my patio and this hornet came a little too close for comfort, so I swatted with a fly swatter. I put it in a jar until I could have it identified. The hornet is approximately 1 5/8" in length. First time I have ever seen a hornet this large. Looking through my Nat Audubon Insect Field Guide, I thought it maybe a Pigeon Horntail, but they are in Eastern North America. Greatly appreciate your assistance. Thank you.
Lane County Oregon
2 Responses
Hi There.
Insect identification by photo can be tricky. I wish I could see this wasp from different angles, and under a microscope. Nonetheless, it is absolutely a wood wasp in the family Siricidae. I believe that it may be a Pigeon Tremex, Tremex columba. This species is fairly common in our region..
Although I am confident of my
family-level ID, I am less confident of my species level ID. This is in part because this group can have variable coloration.
Thank you very much.