Tim wrote:

Short wings, long wings (in comparison to body-length)? Wholly or
partly transparent, or solid wings, with or without markings? All
things difficult to remember or even notice at a fleeting glance, I
know. Did the legs hang down while it was flying? Did you notice the
antennae. Did it seem to have a waist at all, like a wasps, bees or
ants do?

Sorry, but I didn't see the wings (moving too fast) or remember legs and
things was more concerned that I hadn't seen one before and it looked big
enough to give a painful sting. Having said that in hindsight it probably
wasn't a stinger.





A hornet?

There are some short stumpy-bodied dragonflies (can't think of any
names at the moment).

Hornets have black and yellow striped bodies, not "tan". They're just
like wasps on steroids, but without the aggression!

Hornets (Vespa crabro) have orange/brown eyes and hairs
[http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/hornets.htm], whereas the
common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) have black hair and eyes.

[http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder....lgaris/vespula
_vulgaris.htm]

If you see a black and yellow thing that's as big as a hornet it's
probably a queen wasp.

What I'm not clear about is whether Essjay has looked at the picture
of a Hummingbird Hawkmoth, because what he is describing fits that
fairly well.