Insects and Spiders

Awesome New Species Of Wasp

My first time to see female long-tailed giant ichneumon wasps. Very impressive. Even better, they were busy using those very long ovipositors to lay their eggs in a tree trunk. The one on the right already has it depositing an egg in an existing hole in the trunk. Follow the curve from her abdomen to the bark. I flipped the photo from vertical to horizontal in order to show more detail. Very pretty & a way cool process.
Female Long-tailed Giant Ichneumon Wasps (Megarhyssa macrurus ssp. macrurus)
Spring Creek Nature Area, Richardson

bugclose 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 humansMegarhyssa macrurus ssp. macrurus