Insects and Spiders

The Ovipositor

There were several on the tree trunk & I found one not actively laying eggs yet so got a shot of the entire length of that ovipositor. Impressive. This species is a parasitoid wasp. The females are able to detect the larva of several species of horntail wasps (wood eating sawflies) through the bark. They either use an existing hole or drill a new one into the wood until they reach the larva. They paralyze the larva and lay their eggs on it. For the next 2 weeks, the eggs hatch and the babies eat the entire host and pupate. After a year, they emerge as adults the next summer.
Female Long-tailed Giant Ichneumon Wasps (Megarhyssa macrurus ssp. macrurus)
Spring Creek Nature Area, Richardson

Megarhyssa macrurusbugclose upeye levelSpring creek nature arearichardson texasnonaggressivemacronew species for mewaspnew waspfemale waspovipositorlaying eggsFemale Long tailed Giant Ichneumon WaspLongtailed Giant Ichneumon WaspGiant Ichneumon WaspIchneumon Waspparasitoidparasitoid waspharmless to humans