Does anyone know of a bug that looks like a cross between a red wasp and a carpenter bee?

Question

My wife saw this thing flying around the back door, she thought it was a carpenter bee since we have some at the front of the house. I am sick of them digging holes in my house so I went out to kill it. When I did I found this HUGE bug flying around. I inspected the body and it looks like the top half of a red wasp and the bottom half of a carpenter bee but bigger then either. Scary looking thing I have some pics. Just wondering what it is.

Answer 1

it might be either a mesquiteo wasp or a wood wasp.

Answer 2

It is possible that what your wife saw was a queen carpenter bee.  Queens are larger than their male counterparts and if they are ready to lay eggs, their abdomens are out of proportion to their thorax and head.

I have tons of carpenter bees around my house too.  My wood shed out back ran its own powertools!

I found out how to get rid of them.  By spraying acrylic paint on your exposed wooden beams, it prevents them from wanting to nest there.  The spray will also kill any larvae already in holes.

The carpenter bees have taken over my neighbor's wood shed now... *grin*

Answer 3

This is as close as I could come, but its not like any of my carpenter bees.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740

If you do not find out please post the pictures.