Great golden digger wasp

7088.        Wasp but unsure what kind. It’s about 2-3 cm long and was going for a hole about it’s size underground . This is the only one we think we’ve seen so far. What kind of hornet is it and is it dangerous to humans or pets. Ottawa, Ontario. Canada

Number 7088. This is a great golden digger wasp, Sphex ichneumoneus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae); Click here for an image. They sting and paralyze other insects (usually katydids or grasshoppers) that they place in their burrow as food for their larvae. They are harmless to humans and pets.