What kind of bug is this?

[csprague]

This isn't exactly hiking related, but I found this up by my parents house in Bangor this weekend. It's freaky looking!

Does anybody know what it is?

 

[Chip]

That is freaky. Looks like a "Black Ninja Death Stalker" to me , but it could be a variety of Walking Stick. Can't tell if it has wings. Hopefully you'll get a good answer.

 

[TCD]

Looks like a hymenoptera wasp laying eggs.

 

[csprague]

I think you're right. I looked that up and found this page:

http://www.cirrusimage.com/hymenoptera_ichneumon_megarhyssa_fem.htm

Seems to be a black colored variant of the same thing. Awesome!

 

[Barkingcat]

It is a female giant ichneumon wasp, laying eggs in beetle larvae in the wood of the tree trunk.

Specifically, it is megarhyssa atrata.

Nice picture!