wasp - good or bad?

[trishandpete]

I am watering by hand an orchard of some 50+ trees, vines and canes. To conserve water I am pulling back mulch, watering between 20-80L depending on the plant and its micro conditions, and replacing the mulch. I MUST get a drip system before next summer, the whole process takes about 5 hours once a week, and with temps in the 40s every day this week, might have to be twice a week until we get rain.

Well anyway, yesterday I found in the sugar cane mulch what I first thought was a bee, but on closer inspection found to be a wasp. It was about an inch or a little longer, with really long slender wings. It seemed a bit the worse for wear, curling into a ball as I disturbed the mulch. It wasn't under a fruit tree with fruit on it, and it was solitary. I didn't find another. A quick google has thrown up a couple of possibilities: European wasp, or some other predatory wasp with a latin name that I can't recall. European wasps look more squat and with shorter wings than this critter. It's head was black, body banded like a bee, and fuzzy like a bumble bee, but not as fat. I am hoping good predator. What does the forum think?

[gardenlen]

g'day trishandpete,

um without a pic it may be a little hard but i'll hazard a guess as it being a predatory or native wasp, as with the european wasp you would have more of them and you could be in trouble from mutiple stings, also as i know it the european version they tend to like being in cracks and crevices especially in brick walls where they have space that is hidden. you would be seeking expert control advice about now.

len

[bazman]

These guys love my Pigeon Pea trees.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpenter_bee

Google images "Carpenter bee" to see different version around the place.

These are good guys.

[trishandpete]

Thanks, guys. If I see another one I will try to get a photo. Baz, I don't think it is a carpenter bee, wings much longer and thin. But I'm reassured. Lucky I didn't shoot first and ask questions later! T