The Mammoth Wasp

One of the largest solitary wasps found around the world.

This is a very large solitary wasp, the female reaching up to 4.5cm whereas the male is a little smaller. They hold no danger to humans despite their size and black / yellow warning colours. They feed eagerly on flower nectar and this is the best time to view them.
The larger female can be told apart by her yellow face and short antennae. The male has a black head and longer antennae. Females will search for larvae of a particular beetle, the Rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes nasicornis), to lay their eggs inside of them. On hatching, the larvae of the Mammoth wasp will eat into its host thereby killing it.