Mammoth Wasp
Megascolia maculata
- Group
- Harmless lookalike
- Risk
- No danger
- Protection status
- Not protected
- Identifying features
-
- One of the largest wasps in Europe
- Often mistaken for an Asian hornet
- Densely hairy, black body
- Yellow crown, abdomen with four large yellow spots
- Parasitises beetle larvae
- Completely harmless and beneficial
Because of its considerable size, the mammoth wasp (Megascolia maculata) regularly causes alarm, as it is often mistaken for the Asian hornet. In reality, it is a completely harmless and in fact beneficial species of wasp.
Identifying features
- Size: one of the largest wasps in Europe
- Body: densely hairy, black in colour
- Markings: yellow crown, abdomen with four large yellow spots
- Way of life: parasitises beetle larvae, particularly those of scarab beetles
Risk
None: the mammoth wasp is completely harmless to people. It is not aggressive, and its sting serves solely to paralyse beetle larvae for egg-laying.
Protected status in Switzerland
The mammoth wasp is not protected by law in Switzerland.
What to do about a nest
The mammoth wasp does not build a nest of its own and counts as a beneficial insect, since it keeps beetle larvae in the soil in check. Control measures are neither necessary nor sensible — simply leave the insect in peace and observe it.