Another insect that looks frightening is this “Giant Ichneumon Wasp”. The female uses the thread-like structures to insert eggs into trees that are infested with horntail larvae. The wasp larva is a parasite of these wood boring insects. The 4-inch long “stinger” is really an egg-laying device and is harmless. Sometimes you see the female wasp that has gotten stuck and died and are hanging from tree trunks or limbs.