amazing nature - Megarhyssa

Moved

… Domingo Zungri, 19 July, 2009 - 6:00am

Nice...

This is a nice example of interspecific competition for a limited resource among these female Megarhyssa wasps. This behavior is not uncommon, but it is not often seen. I would move the image on the left to the Megarhyssa main page (Natalie's reference below) since two different species occupy the same image (M. macrurus on the left and M atrata on the right). The image on the right can be moved to the M. atrata page. Great stuff.

… Ross Hill, 8 July, 2009 - 3:46pm

Left One Looks Like This:

… Alice Cavette, 3 July, 2009 - 11:00pm

Re: amazing nature

What a fantastic shot! These ichneumons look a bit intimidating, but they are completely harmless. Their long ovipositors (stingers) are adapted solely for piercing wood and cannot cause injury to humans... Only the beetle larvae they parasitize.

… Natalie McNear, 3 July, 2009 - 1:31pm

photo I.D. 298291

Many thanks for your promptness. I have added an additional photo - sorry, I am new to this type of photography. I was taking photos of our kids and they decided to stand on a dead tree. Screaming was followed by the kids jumping off the tree and running into the house. I changed my lens and (nervously)took lots of photos. Great fun!
Thanks again.

… albert osborne, 3 July, 2009 - 1:57pm

ichneumon wasps depositing eggs

The long tails are ovipositors. They're sticking them down in the tree to deposit eggs on beetle larva. Females find a beetle larva in the tree and lay an egg on, near, or inside the larva. It's curtains for the beetle larva.

… Andrew Williams, 3 July, 2009 - 1:18pm

Not beetle larvae

Sorry Andy I'm Anal and have to correct. Megarhyssa are parasitoids on siricid larvae, aka horntails.

There is a little info here http://bugguide.net/node/view/4158

Also, as to the antennae whipping, thats how they find the larvae in the wood, they beat on the wood with their antennae.

… Natalie Hernandez, 3 July, 2009 - 2:23pm

I don't mind being corrected. :)
I don't know that much beyond the general stuff when it comes to these guys.

… Andrew Williams, 4 July, 2009 - 10:12am

I'd like to witness this

sometime - never have.

Specifically, these are one of the Megarhyssa ichneumons.

… Ashley Bradford, 3 July, 2009 - 1:34pm

Keep looking on dead & dying trees, especially in...

...late spring to early summer. They're actually not that uncommon.

… Peter Edelman, 3 July, 2009 - 2:58pm

Should I expect to see a mass

Should I expect to see a mass hatching of new neighbours in the near future? will they leave the area immediately or will they all stay in the immediate area? Gulp! This activity is within 75 feet of our home.

… albert osborne, 3 July, 2009 - 4:31pm

i don't think so + no worries

I don't think you'll get a massive overrun of ichneumons. Plus, they're interesting to watch and harmless, unless you handle them.

… Andrew Williams, 3 July, 2009 - 4:50pm