Any ideas

[Cr33p3r]

While sitting outside this afternoon before going to bed for work I saw this big dark object fly over the house and it headed straight for me so I smacked out of the air with the fly swatter. Well why it was dazed I took a closer look at it and figured I best spray it with the wasp killer especially being a sting allergy person. This thing is the biggest wasp looking thing I have ever seen, not sure exactly what it is. Here are two pics one alone and one next to Val's lighter for reference of size. The stinger alone is almost 1/2 an inch long, man that would seriously hurt.

[Haku]

Looks like one of these....

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05604.html

Its a Pigeon Tremex Horntail, and despite the huge stinger on it, is a non stinging species of wasp. There is another wasp that is also a non stinger that acts as a parasite to it. The details are in the link above.

I think I would have done that same as you and killed the sucker though.

[glacierpaul]

It is the new fly rig for your fishing pole! :)

[Cr33p3r]

After 46 years of living here I have never seen one before.

Thanks Josh, that was very useful info and we discovered it was a female.

Paul that is a great idea!