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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) » Greene's Giant Ichneumonid Wasp (Megarhyssa greenei)
Photo#119173
Ichneumon Wasp - Megarhyssa greenei - female
Copyright © 2007 Stephen Durrenberger

Ichneumon Wasp - Megarhyssa greenei - Female
Hurricane, Putnam County, West Virginia, USA
September 17, 2006
Size: 2.25in w/o ovipositor
This beauty got into my house when my daughter opened the door to come outside with me to search for insects to photograph. We found pure treasure in our first moments outside when this beautiful Ichneumon flew to the light at my back door. I rescued her from the house and set her free, unharmed.
Contributed by Stephen Durrenberger on 18 June, 2007 - 3:00am
Last updated 29 September, 2009 - 8:42pm

Moved
Moved from Megarhyssa macrurus.
… John F. Carr, 29 September, 2009 - 8:42pm

Megarhyssa greenei
No dark smudging along basal vein
… Bob Carlson, 28 September, 2009 - 10:02am

Megarhyssa sp.
She's been on the wing for awhile. Note her tattered forewings. Thanks for sharing the story as well as the image:-)
… Eric R. Eaton, 18 June, 2007 - 3:46pm

 
forewings...
Her forewings appear to be "tattered" as you say, but in the exact same pattern bilaterally. That seems a bit coincidental to me? Could this just be a genetic variation?
… Stephen Durrenberger, 20 June, 2007 - 11:24pm

 
No.
Shows damage from when a bird snapped at it, probably in flight when the both pairs of the wasp's wings were at the apex of the upstroke. Wedge-like scars on insect wings are almost always evidence of attempted bird predation.
… Eric R. Eaton, 6 July, 2007 - 2:45pm

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