Numbers
Nearctica.com lists 4 North American species.
Identification
Extensive yellow-markings on abdomen.
Range
Forested areas of North America
Season
Spring, sometimes summer (April-October for North Carolina, two species)
Life Cycle
Parasitoid of horntail larvae, which bore in wood.
Numerous discussions of the ecology of three of the species can be found online
(1),
(2), and
(3)Remarks
Size: Males 23-38 mm, females 35-75 mm (body), 50-110 mm (!) with ovipositor.
(1)Print References
Milne, p. 809, fig. 465
(1)
Swan and Papp, p. 527, fig. 1155--M. macrurus
(2)
Internet References
North Carolina State University Entomology lists all four species for that state, with number pinned in collection: atrata (32), greeni (16), macrurus (79), nortoni (8).
Texas Coop. Extension page on Megrarhyssa, including a good image of M. macrurus.
