Help identifying this bug?

[Lorgakor]

Location is British Columbia Canada
These bugs seem to be coming out of a branch that I found in the woods to use in a snake terrarium for perches. Once the heat panel was turned on, they started emerging, I believe from the branches. There are perfectly round holes in the branches so I think they were either laid inside or live inside. Can anyone tell from these pictures what they are?

 

[pannaking22]

Definitely a wasp of some sort. I'm not sure what families you have up in British Columbia, but I'm thinking it's a horntail (family Xiphydriidae). You may want to check out this link, along with other pictures on bugguide.net.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/44369/bgimage

 

[Lorgakor]

Thank you! That is exactly what it is! Looks like they only inhabit dead wood, but seeing as I have cedar wood paneling on all my walls downstairs I may have to worry! Good thing I removed the branches, though I stupidly put them on the firewood pile lol!

 

[jthorntonwillis]

Don.t worry about the cedar panelling,it gives off volatile oils and is unattractive to bugs.

 

[Lorgakor]

I did some reading and it seems that one species of these guys actually favours dead and dying cedar.

 

[pannaking22]

You're welcome! Cedar is usually avoided by insects, though I believe there are a few beetles that will take advantage of it to a limited extent. I doubt those are beetles you will have to worry about though, and those little horntails won't do anything to your paneling

 

[The Snark]

Except, of course, Anaxyelidae. AKA the cedar wood wasp. Not that they are seriously interested in finished wood paneling. Actually, they are pretty amazing. They drill a hole then inject a serum from a gland as they lay eggs. The serum contains a fungus which pre-digests the wood for the larvae when they hatch.

 

[pannaking22]

Good call, Snark. That is pretty cool that they can do that. They also probably won't be all that interested because they only go after cedar that is recently burned, so unless your house is on fire you should be fine lol

 

[Lorgakor]

Lol! Thank everyone, my mind is at ease now that I know what they are.

 

[zonbonzovi]

Y'all would amazed at what lives in cedar stands...hmmm...sounds like a thread for the fairer season. Love the shape of the tarsi on this one!