The NatureSpot Species of the Month for July is this image of a Giant Woodwasp, taken by NatureSpot contributor Bradders. More...

July has been a remarkable month for butterflies, with large influxes of migrants such as Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow, but the species of the month for July is this Giant Woodwasp, Urocerus gigas, taken at Tesco in Ashby de la Zouch! If we knew Tesco was selling Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland Local Nature Recovery Strategy Indicator Species we'd have shopped there before! 

Urocerus gigas almost targets weakened, dying, fire-damaged, or freshly felled coniferous trees. It cannot digest raw wood fiber (lignin and cellulose) on its own and relies on an obligate mutualism with a wood-rotting basidiomycete fungus, Amylostereum chailletii. By colonizing freshly dead timber, it initiates wood decay processes in conifer canopy gaps, opening up structural wood to saproxylic fungi, beetles, and microbial communities. The female wasps carry fungal spores inside specialized internal pouches at the base of their ovipositor. When laying eggs deep into conifer wood, the female injects both eggs and fungal spores. The fungus spreads through the xylem, breaking down dense lignin and softening the wood and the wasp larvae feed on the fungal hyphae and the pre-digested wood pulp created by the fungus.