can anyone please identify

[jow104]

Yesterday in the garden of our host a beautiful gold colour insect (that could also fly) was dragging a dead spider across the lawn, ) the spider was the size of a cherry tomato, the spider was dragged approx. 10 yards by this crawling gold insect and eventually took its prey down a hole in the lawn. The size of the den was around 35mm in diameter. This flying insect had a wing span of around 60mm.

Is the flying insect dangerous or any other information would be interesting?

[Gumby]

Do you live near a nuclear plant ?

[Cliff Rogers]

Have a look through these pictures....
http://www.amonline.net.au/collectio...cord.cfm?id=11

It sounds like what we call a hornet but is actually a mud wasp.

[jow104]

Have a look through these pictures....
http://www.amonline.net.au/collectio...cord.cfm?id=11

It sounds like what we call a hornet but is actually a mud wasp.

Thanks Cliff, I think you have identified the monster.
Does that mean that there is most probably a great colony of these creatures down the nesting hole?

Todate I have only seen a solitary insect which is only a few feet away from the rear entrance of the property.

Can it or its friends be a problem for us?

[Bleedin Thumb]

Jow104,
As far as I know they are solitary things, quiet harmless if you don't annoy them.
They don't give a hoot about you if you leave them alone, but I'd hate to get one angry!!
Kind of live and let live situation.

[DJ’s Timber]

I wouldn't worry about it. They are normally quite harmless.

They are only aggresive when breeding or if you disturb their nest.

[Cliff Rogers]

Yeap, what they said.... mostly very docile insects.

I have only ever been bitten once by a hornet (mud wasp) & that was 'cos he flew into my shirt & I didn't get the shirt off quick enough.

Paper wasps are a different story altogether.
They are much smaller, live in colonies & attack if you go anywhere near the nest.

[bennylaird]

Haven't had much problem with them in my backyard, they do past over but thankfully have not had one burrow into the back yard as yet,

Noisy Bugrs though, but these are the Aussie variety

[Cliff Rogers]

....have not had one burrow into the back yard as yet,...

You'll be the first to know if they do.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Paper wasps are a different story altogether.
They are much smaller, live in colonies & attack if you go anywhere near the nest.

Was driving along in a LandBruiser up in the Cape one year, brushed past a paperwasp nest that came off and landed in my lap - I was wearing stubbies at the time.
I saw them a split second before I felt the pain.:eek:

Must of had 20 odd wasps sitting on my thigh stinging away- they're not like bees that sting once- no these buggers sting again and again. I recon I jumped out of the car before it had even stopped.

[AlexS]

I've never seen a mud wasp (aka mason wasp) burrow in the ground, and a wing span of 60mm sounds big for one. Usually they build on walls. Can't help with what it is though - spiders are definitely on the menu for many wasps.

[Flowboy]

Hi,
These little guys that dig the holes are solitary. Its fascinating to watch them (all females by the way) find a suitable spot, dig the hole, then go find a spider or similar, which they paralyse by stinging. They take this back to the hole, stuff it in and lay eggs in the poor paralysed prey, then cover the hole. After a while, the eggs hatch and the larvae have fresh meat to eat, as the prey is only paralysed. They grow a bit and burrow out and there you go. They really don't give a Tinker's cuss about us. Way too busy with the hole thingy.

Rob

[Shedhand]

Haven't had much problem with them in my backyard, they do past over but thankfully have not had one burrow into the back yard as yet,

Noisy Bugrs though, but these are the Aussie variety

Stay clear of this Hornet....has a BIG sting.....

[bennylaird]

Well not really a Hornet (JSF) but nasty payload

[Cliff Rogers]

....nasty payload

Who, in their right mind, would pay for a load like that? :confused:
Maybe you would pay to have it taken away.