It is a braconid. I defer to Dr. Sharkey.

how do you tell them apart? Thanks!

The forewing vein that is present in most Ichneumonidae and absent in all Braconidae is the second recurrent vein in the older terminology or 2m-cu in the newer Ross terminology, which I have never learned. See wings on this page.

thanks for taking you're time to explain that, very helpful!!

With respect to the preservation of the specimen, the metasomal segments are swollen because the preservative was too dilute. If possible, killing and preserving in 95% ethanol will avoid the problem.

I'll tell my teacher that, we use 80% on our samples. thanks for letting me know, hopefully that doesn't hinder the ID too much

If the specimen is from a Malaise trap, the solution would have been diluted by the volume of specimens killed in the liquid. Even when I would collect in 95% ethanol, I would put the specimens I wanted to keep in fresh 95% ethanol. I later learned that storing them for a long period this way before mounting actually degreases them slowly. I later worked on methods for speeding up the process by using a 50/50 mix of 95% ethanol and xylene (Peterson's Fluid) as a degreasing agent (overnight or 24 hours), and then putting the specimens in straight xylene for 30 to 60 mins prior to mounting (or for specimens to be pinned, I would do the pinning prior to treating the pinned specimen in xylene. The xylene stiffens the wings and hairs and helps to keep them from absorbing moisture while drying.