This bizarre creature is gasteruption jaculator. Whoever named it should be banned forthwith from all future namings. I am grateful to afrenchgarden for the I.D. I was wrongly was calling it a sand digger wasp. I have never seen one in my garden before this year. Yesterday I noticed one feeding on fennel pollen but was unable to get a decent shot before it flew away. So, today, I returned to the fennel plant at the same time of day and, low and behold, there it was. And I was delighted to be able to capture it in flight!
It is an elegant creature with its long spike looking not unlike a cigarette holder from the 1920s (or is that just me?). I am assuming this is the female. Her consort, a much smaller beast without cigarette holder, is below. (It’s a lousy shot, I know, but illustrative.)
For an earlier post on other wasps found in my garden, see here.
Focused Moments 
Scary looking, fantastic shots.
Thank you. They are harmless to us. Not so harmless to bees though.
Elegant? Hmmm…maybe. I would’ve said malevolent!
Well done on snaring them with your camera. Hope you find some wasp nerds to help with the I.D.!
Perhaps an acquired taste 😉
Those are incredibly evil looking things! I’d run if I saw one!
Wimp! ;).
Oh my word Rachael you have excelled yourself with this insect.. Terrific shots and I have never seen such a thing before..
Thanks, Helen. More shots of this fine critter are in the pipeline.
Oh goodie
He is incredibly graceful and poised!
Thanks. And thanks for sorting out the identification! 🙂
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