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sharon_from_ohio

Giant 3-4' dark brown bee/wasp-type insect in SW Ohio??

sharon_from_ohio
13 years ago

Hi All, I'm hoping someone out there knows what this is because I can't find anything close to it anywhere online! I live in SW Ohio and I see these now and then. Sorry, too chicken to get close enough for a photo! It is a giant 3-4" flying insect that resembles a bee - body is NOT segmented, but rather torpedo shaped - I'd say about 1/2" diameter. The insect appears slightly fuzzy like a bee. It flys around acting just like a wasp, looking at heat pump, windows, vents, etc. - hovers, lands, shoots off flying away. It doesn't appear to be interested in me at all but I'm not taking any chances!! It is dark brown in color and doesn't appear to have any special markings. I usually see them late afternoon and early evening when the sun is out and it's the warmest. What the heck is it?

Comments (195)

  • MrsM
    4 years ago

    Lol...Actually just last week my husband was working on our new deck. A cicada killer landed next to him holding a cicada. It then started crawling around. Finally wandered off near to a tree dragging that poor ugly thing with it. We've had cicada killers before and yes they are big. But generally they won't go after humans. Their one mission is to paralyze cicadas and bring them to their doom. (Cicadas are ugly but boy what a crappy fate they await if captured). That pic I posted above shows that the cicada killer is almost that size (in my mind) lol!

  • djacob Z6a SE WI
    4 years ago

    I am seeing this in Milwaukee, especially on wet dirt or near water. When it flies away it has these really long dangling legs or appendage. Sometimes it appears to be dipping it’s head into the dirt. It’s creepy. Anyone know what they are and any damage they can cause?



  • HU-260242593
    4 years ago

    Nice pics. How big?

  • djacob Z6a SE WI
    4 years ago

    Guessing.....1 1/2 to 2 inches.

  • PRO
    The Logician LLC
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Probably the Black and Yellow Mud Dauber ( Sceliphron caementarium ).

    https://bugguide.net/node/view/6610

    ^ scroll down page for more info.

    Mud daubers are not aggressive. They do kill spiders.

    When in flight, many wasp's hind legs dangle, giving a slightly larger appearance.

  • djacob Z6a SE WI
    4 years ago

    Logician that’s exactly what it is! Thanks so for the information!

  • jerzgrrrl72
    4 years ago

    I am still trying to get up enough nerve to spend any time in my backyard.... As hilarious as this thread is, Spheksophobia is no laughing matter for me. It's Labor Day Weekend, and I would love to be able to inflate my pool with the built in inflatable bench and cup holders and just relax out there for a bit, but man, just thinking about last yr's encounter still makes me shiver. :( :( :( #iseriouslyhatewasps

  • jerzgrrrl72
    4 years ago

    Ruh-roh! I know it's technically winter now, but did anyone else see this today???

    https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/23/us/asian-giant-hornet-washington-state-scn-trnd/index.html


    May your holidays be merry, bright, and scary pest-free! :)

  • PRO
    The Logician LLC
    4 years ago

    Yes, an article about that hornet was in the Sunday Oregonian newspaper. At 2 inches in length, it is no Ohio Giant.

  • Aidan Creekmore
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Megarhyssa species fit that description. Females are 1.5 to 2 inches long, some people claim that they can reach 3 to 4 inches. These insects are harmless.




  • Aubrey Snyder
    3 years ago

    I saw it! It's very fat and torpedo shaped and hovers well. It seems to be scouting out my house. I've been shooting vinegar water at it from a crack in the door. I don't want a nest of those things around!!

  • Aidan Creekmore
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    If you are talking about Megarhyssa it is harmless and does not live in nests.

  • Bobby Walker
    3 years ago

    What's amazing is how long this thread has been going. That's the real LEGEND :)

  • PRO
    The Logician LLC
    3 years ago

    Also amazing is how the postings wobble off-topic. jerzgrrrl posted a link to a large hornet. That article contained a link to a very small wasp.


    Then Aiden's post about a much larger Ichneumon wasp could have been a look-alike to the small wasp (The Ohio Midget?).


    Then Aubrey referred back to the description of the original Ohio Giant, not Aiden's Megarhyssa.

  • Aidan Creekmore
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    If it's not Megarhyssa then our options for what the original Ohio Giant is are

    a) a Promachus or Proctacanthus robber fly

    b) a female dobsonfly

    c) a horsefly

    d) a midas fly

    a female dobsonfly has already been dismissed and horseflies do not get large enough so the Ohio Giant is most likely a midas fly or robber fly.


    btw my name is Aidan

  • jerzgrrrl72
    3 years ago

    Even more amazing is: I'm still not the original poster of the Ohio Giant sighting ;) I'm just the person in NC who probably has the worst case of spheksophobia of anyone in this entire thread, which is why I am still so troubled by the identity and whereabouts of "my" NC Monster...

  • Aidan Creekmore
    3 years ago

    Unless you get a photo, it is unlikely it will ever get identified, which means you will never know if it is dangerous or not. The next time you see one, take a good clear photo, don't hide in your pool.

  • HU-896299910
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago



    Anyone? Always assumed a female wood bee, but nope, then thought Wallace’s giant bee, but not sure. She’s about 2” long and no wasp judging by her legs. FYI: Removed from the surface of my pool in Lucedale, Mississippi

  • Aidan Creekmore
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Wallace's giant bee looks nothing like that and lives in Indonesia.

    At first, I thought that it was the wasp Scolia bicincta. There's not a lot of information regarding size, but from what I gather they are usually around 1 inch long, smaller than 2 inches, but considering that disposable plastic forks are usually between 6 and 7 inches long, it appears that your wasp is about 1.4-1.6 inches, not 2.

    You can look at some pictures of them here:

    Scolia bicincta pictures

    But after doing more research, I determined that your insect is actually the wasp Pygodasis quadrimaculata, which is related and looks similar. It is also larger, closer to the size of your wasp.

    Pygodasis quadrimaculata pictures

  • HU-896299910
    3 years ago

    Very good Sir, I’m certain you are correct.

  • Aidan Creekmore
    3 years ago

    Southern Mississippi is at the very edge of their range, so they are very rare where you are at.

  • jerzgrrrl72
    3 years ago

    I'm sure I speak for a lot of people on this thread, Mr Creekmore, when I say that while you may think that making fun of people and belittling them regarding their phobias or in in some cases, even mere dislikes of some types of insects in order to prove your vast entomological knowledge or provide yourself with a feeling of superiority over the rest of us is simply a fun pastime for you, but your curt snarky comments are not appreciated. In the 2 years that I've been following this thread, the majority of posts are generally a humorous mix of people with genuine inquiries about their personal "encounters," and people playfully sharing jovial anecdotes regarding those encounters, etc. At no point during this time, has anyone posted on here trying to make people feel less about themselves because of their fears or their subsequent actions. It is my understanding that hornets are social, as they are part of the wasp species. In my particular situation, had I sprung up out of my inflatable pool, instead of "hiding in it," and tried to grab my phone to grab a photo of what I seriously suspect was a very large hornet, it most likely would have come after me, as I was attempting to run away from it, because, yes, when faced with one of my greatest fears, like most people, my "fight or flight" response kicks in, and that's likely what would have happened. I wasn't willing to risk my safety at the time to get a picture of it to satisfy the requirements of people like you, and I'm still not. I'm just fortunate that up until today, no one else on this site has made me feel like that was some sort of obligatory necessity for being a part of this online community.

  • HU-193625538
    3 years ago

    So I saw this monster in Farmington Missouri in 2003. It was scrounging in the dirt around our newly placed modular home. My wife and I called it the “bird bee” because it was bigger than the hummingbirds. I didn’t want anything that large (easily 4”) making a nest around my family so I sprayed it with Ortho wasp killer. At which point it flew past my head and I could still see it flying a couple hundred yards away. I mean this thing is a beast.

    A few days later the inmates at the prison I worked at had killed one and dissected it on a picnic table. 3 segments, head, thorax, body, and again 4. Inches. Long. Meaning I had time to carefully and objectively take this thing in and know I hadn’t rushed to judgement the first time.

    the picture above on the curtain may be it. I have no perspective on how wide that curtain edge is though.

    It deserves the title of legend and I hope someday before I die it’s positively identified.

  • Aidan Creekmore
    3 years ago

    Was it any of these?








  • HU-719737710
    3 years ago

    I’ve seen these giant wasp looking things too in Erie County PA. Seriously the size of a small humming bird. Not sure what they are but scary as hell. I’ve never been able to find a picture of one.

  • Sophia Sollisch
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    I found this discussion on google while trying to figure out the giant F$*@&! that was hovering outside my window.... @Aidan Creekmore, it looked like the 3rd picture in your most recent post. What species is that?

  • Aidan Creekmore
    3 years ago

    How large was it and where do you live?

  • Sophia Sollisch
    3 years ago

    I'll provide some more specific details to help you help me identify it. I live on the border of PA and NJ. Like the picture I mentioned, it had NO true yellow coloring- it was only a deep orangish-brown color with some black. I found all kinds of holes in the ground nearby the window where it came to visit. I eyeballed it and can guess its between 2-3 inches in length. I'm going to assume you're an entomologist, you rock man.

  • Aidan Creekmore
    3 years ago

    The third one is an Asian giant hornet. They do not normally live in the United States. The first one is called the eastern cicada killer and can grow up to 2 inches long. They dig burrows in the ground and are solitary. You can find some images here.

  • Tyler Lindell
    3 years ago

    I'm in North Eastern Washington state near the Idaho border and both last year as well as this year, we've had some pretty large bee-looking insects flying inside our home. I have yet to identify but I did manage to catch one that was on our home today.

  • Aidan Creekmore
    3 years ago

    That's a bee.

  • HU-716646622
    3 years ago

    I'm in N W Ohio near, Michigan line. Saw my first swarm of 3" bees or hornets near a friend's house. Dark orange & black stripes, wide wing span, nose diving around a crack in friend's sidewalk. Size of a hummingbird. Couldn't believe what I saw. Wanted pictures but I'm highly allergic to small bee stings

  • Aidan Creekmore
    3 years ago

    Was it any of these?

  • HU-374706879
    3 years ago

    I live in the Hudson Valley of New York State. 2 nights ago the largest flying insect I have ever seen in my life appeared in my bedroom. It was 2 1/2 to 3 inches long, dark brown with no distinguishing markings.

    I couldn’t believe my eyes.. thought it was a baby bat.

    I ran to get my husband and I could hear him doing battle with this thing for a minute or two. He had to hit it 8 times to kill it. I am not exaggerating.

    He had never seen such a bug either, and we are 60+ and have seen many things.


  • Tom Mann
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    I have killed one!!! It’s legs are drawn up because of the wasp spray. When it was flying the legs dangled way down. When measured, pulling its abdomen out straight, gently with twizzers, it measures right at 2.5” from its head to the tip of its tail. it’s legs a yellow from the knee to the ankle. It’s wing measures 1-3/4”. In the position it’s in in the pic, when I pull it’s front leg out strait, it measures 3” from the tip on his right wing to the tip of his foot. The body is pretty much black all over. With yellow hairs coming out of the bottom of its head. It’s abdomen has very short yellow hairs as well. Caught him flying at night. Landed on the soffit of my house near a light. First a big hornet flew into a spider web. Right after the hornet got loose and flew away this thing flew in and landed.




  • Oksana Fish
    3 years ago

    I was seating on my backyard when 3-4 inch wasp showed up I was speechless I couldn’t move , really wanted to take a picture. It was just like wasp but BIG

  • HU-556416769
    3 years ago

    Yesterday, I was out on a walk when something quickly buzzed past me that made me run for the hills. That wasn't a good idea. It chased me back and forth while I was flailing about, like a toddler. My fear grew with every chase. This thing had to have been 3-4 inches, and stout. It reminded me of a carpenter bee, but longer and it never hovered, just zipped around. I didn't get a good look at the coloring. Any ideas?

  • Beth Ann
    3 years ago


    Pay attention to that hole in the leaf because I have another picture with my finger next to it for reference. This thing flits around like a dragonfly too

  • Beth Ann
    3 years ago



  • Helena Lund
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    I saw this terrifying bug outside today in southeast Michigan. Never seen it before in my life. I've tried using google, and not sure what it is. Anyone know?


  • Iris S (SC, Zone 7b)
    3 years ago

    It’s a robber fly. Maybe Promachus hinei?


  • Fori
    3 years ago

    Robber flies are kinda cool, but probably best not to handle them. They are predators and might bite you if you grab them.


    Beth Ann, that looks like a classic cicada killer. Burly!

  • Ray Robinson
    3 years ago

    @Aidan Creekmore yes it's that last picture... I think your sixth. Landed right in front of me and just sat there staring at me on the deck. I quitely got up and went into the house though I wanted to run and screen just like that 10 year old post. Sprayed cutter waited. It left because my bird reflector tape moved so I am back out on the deck nervous trying to enjoy the sun here in Georgia. Lol. Should I worry?




  • Fori
    3 years ago

    Robber fly. You leave her alone, she leaves you alone and eats other insects for you. That's a BIG one!

  • Ray Robinson
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Thanks!!

  • HU-77200985
    3 years ago

    I just found this


  • Aidan Creekmore
    3 years ago

    Can everyone please stop killing everything? Geez.

  • Aidan Creekmore
    3 years ago

    It seems like most of these people are just seeing robber flies and cicada killers.

  • Wendy Kovin
    last year

    The ones I have are the one in the 3rd picture down! What is that? I live in Delaware and mine are definitely 3 inches long because they are the same length as my index finger which is 3 inches long. They are orange/brown/black and live in my patio umbrella which is closed. I can hear them in the umbrella scratching/tapping day and night! I'm scared so I have an exterminator coming this week!

  • Wendy Kovin
    last year

    3rd down in Mr. Creekmores photos

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