Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
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) » Black Giant Ichneumonid Wasp (Megarhyssa atrata)
Photo#4064
Giant Ichneumon Wasp - Megarhyssa atrata - female
Copyright © 2004 Tony DiTerlizzi

Giant Ichneumon Wasp - Megarhyssa atrata - Female
Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
May 29, 2004
Wow! I never thought I would see one of these in the wild. It was in our backyard, flying around and vibrating it's antennae every time it landed. With it's ovipositor it was almost 6" long!

Images of this individual: tag all
Giant Ichneumon Wasp - Megarhyssa atrata - female Giant Ichneumon Wasp - Megarhyssa atrata - female
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Tony DiTerlizzi on 4 June, 2004 - 6:06pm
Last updated 2 June, 2008 - 1:51pm

Megarhyssa atrata
Female Megarhyssa atrata. Very nice photos:-) They are parasites of the pigeon tremex horntail, Tremex columba.
… Eric R. Eaton, 11 June, 2004 - 12:24pm login or register to post comments

Wow, indeed
I've never seen one with such a long ovipositor.
… Troy Bartlett, 4 June, 2004 - 11:30pm login or register to post comments

 
Ovipositor
Me neither, it was really neat looking when it was flying around. If you look at the pictures in guides (like Audubon's) the photo is of it drilling into the wood so it's looped around, I never thought it would be this long when not it use.
… Tony DiTerlizzi, 5 June, 2004 - 7:10am login or register to post comments

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact