Can anyone identify this critter?

[Bain]

For the first time, these things are flying around my backyard, and bellying up to my black-eyed Susans to wet their whistles.

My German Shepherd, of course, chases after them and trys to devour them. I assume if they sting his tongue or mouth, his head will swell up, I'll zoom him to the veterinarian, and hope he survives.

This is obviously some kind of bee, but it's nearly an inch and a half long and I'm wondering how dangerous its venom is.

Rigorous clinical trials have demonstrated that an idiot home inspector dude with a can of bug spray can race around his backyard and assassinate these suckers pretty easily. But there are so many of them . . .

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[Bob White]

It may just be a moth or hoverfly ---

A sheep in wolf's clothing, so to speak.

Many moths dress up as wasps to fool predators into leaving them alone.

They didn't consider the HI with bug spray, I guess.....

[ghentjr]

Looks like a wasp. No offense intended to any republicans.

[Bain]

I Googled hoverfly, and think you may be right, Bob. The tail markings look wicked similar.

Collateral damage is a bitch . . .

[Mark P]

Ground Hornet

[Richard Moore]

The attennae are too long for a hoverfly. I think what you have there is a resin bee. See this photo and the website.

http://dereila.ca/dereilaimages/Bee10.jpg

http://dereila.ca/dereilaimages/bugs.html

There's more on them at...

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes ... te110.html

They are pollinators, don't seem to be aggressive stingers, and as bees are in a shortage across the country, you should be happy to have them.

[Neal Lewis]

My vote is for a Cicada killing wasp.

[Richard Moore]

Originally posted by Neal Lewis

My vote is for a Cicada killing wasp.

I think we have a winner! That looks more like it than my resin bees. Especailly the base of the anttena.

http://www.ppdl.purdue.edu/PPDL/images/ ... _wasp.jpeg

Those you can kill!

[Bain]

Youse guys are the best!!

How have you even heard of a cicada killing wasp, Neal?

[Neal Lewis]

Well, we have the annual onslaught of the noisy cicadas here for a month or so every year. A while back I noticed them making nests in the kid's sandbox. I think that one is the male. The female is orange and can be about an inch and a half long.

[Bill Kibbel]

They're very common here. I'll bet there's several little holes in your lawn, John.