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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » parasitic Apocrita » Braconids and Ichneumons (Ichneumonoidea) » Ichneumon Wasps (Ichneumonidae) » Rhyssinae » Giant Ichneumons (Megarhyssa) » Megarhyssa macrurus
Photo#147392
Help name this insect that looks like a bee, but acts like a termite - Megarhyssa macrurus - female
Copyright © 2007 Justcurious

Help name this insect that looks like a bee, but acts like a termite - Megarhyssa macrurus - Female
Rockford, IL, Winnebago County
September 22, 2007
Size: 2.5"
I found one of these on a stump of an elm, and another inside when i was splitting loggs. My guess would be some type of termite or something. note: Tail coming off its back end around its body then into the wood. I have seen one with three tails and what i would guess as the male, with none~
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Contributed by Justcurious on 22 September, 2007 - 4:09pm
Last updated 25 September, 2007 - 5:57pm

It's an ichneumon wasp, female
laying eggs into the tree. Actually laying eggs into larvae that are in the tree, to be more exact. Looks a lot like this one, Megarhyssa macrurus, to me, though I'm no expert on these:





See also Megarhyssa info page
… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 22 September, 2007 - 4:12pm login or register to post comments

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