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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » "Parasitica" - Parasitoid Wasps » Braconid and Ichneumonid Wasps (Ichneumonoidea) » Ichneumonid Wasps (Ichneumonidae) » Rhyssinae » Giant Ichneumonid Wasps (Megarhyssa) » Long-tailed Giant Ichneumonid Wasp (Megarhyssa macrurus) » Megarhyssa macrurus macrurus
Photo#529260
Megischus bicolor?? Not sure what this is. Looked similar to a red wasp, but longer, with long stinger barb. - Megarhyssa macrurus - female
Copyright © 2011 volkswatson

Megischus bicolor?? Not sure what this is. Looked similar to a red wasp, but longer, with long stinger barb. - Megarhyssa macrurus - Female
Gilmer, tx, Upshur County, East Texas County, Texas, USA
June 14, 2011
Size: 2 inches?
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Contributed by volkswatson on 14 June, 2011 - 7:09pm
Last updated 7 April, 2023 - 3:30am

Moved
Moved from Long-tailed Giant Ichneumonid Wasp.
… Jonathan Hoskins, 7 April, 2023 - 3:30am login or register to post comments

Megischus are smaller, darker & rarer
In my experience, Megischus are smaller, darker and a lot rarer. In addition, Bugguide indicates that those in the US tend to occur in the SE--though its range map shows entries from AR, TX & CA.
… Peter Edelman, 14 June, 2011 - 7:27pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Bob Carlson, 14 June, 2011 - 7:17pm login or register to post comments

Giant Ichneumon
in the genus Megarhyssa--maybe M. macrurus:



That "tail" is her ovipositor. She'll use it to lay eggs in the tunnels of wood-boring insects, on which her young will feed.


Welcome to BugGuide!
… Ken Wolgemuth, 14 June, 2011 - 7:13pm login or register to post comments

 
Wow
I think you nailed it! I've never seen one of these in Texas, and my girls were fascinated by it! Do they sting or anything?
… volkswatson, 14 June, 2011 - 7:22pm login or register to post comments

 
No sting--despite the long ovipositor
Nope, they don't sting, unless you're a pigeon tremex.
… Peter Edelman, 14 June, 2011 - 7:32pm login or register to post comments

 
I suppose it you grabbed her,
held on to her and gave her enough time, she might be able to give you a poke with that ovipositor. However, she doesn't have a sting in the sense that a bee or hornet does. Also, she's a solitary creature. She doesn't have a nest or hive to defend, so she's not at all territorial or aggressive. Completely harmless for all intents and purposes.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 14 June, 2011 - 7:30pm login or register to post comments

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