Birch Sawfly (Cimbex femoratus) - 33 mm long wasp-like insect
In the today's post I'll put a short video and a few pictures about an Insect I found during my hike in Lyulin Mountain, Bulgaria. It looked like Birch Sawfly (Cimbex femoratus), but they are quoted as having length of maximum 25 mm (1 inch) and this one had body length without wings and antennae of 33 mm (1 1/4 inch), so it may happen to be another species, but I am unable to find more information.
The Sawflys are one of the two suborders in the Order Hymenoptera, the other one being this of the bees, ants and wasps. So this means that they are not only superficially resembling wasps or bees, but rather they look alike because they are distantly related and had common ancestor. Another interesting thing about them is that their larvae looks like butterfly caterpillar and just like them feeds on plants. This however makes some of the species of Sawflys pests that could cause substantial damage to certain plants.
Anyway, these huge wasp-like insects are always something interesting to be found in the wild.
The area where I found our beast
Birch Sawfly (Cimbex femoratus), it is a bit wasp-like
Side view of this very big Sawfly
One more picture from the side
Note the huge legs
It also has strong mandibles and the thorax is with particular shape
Here I have it measured, it had body length of 33 mm (1 1/4 inch) without wings and antennae
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