i'll let you guys know if my basement office turns into a swimming pool any time soon. have fun.
great pic as always, Ashley. well, i'm not a big fan of that recent Prionus of yours -- but that's between me and my therapist, i guess.

I apologize for that!

I didn't even know where you were but just checked - you stay safe too! I live in a basement, but being up a hill make me doubly protected from both trees and flood, so I'll be okay. Just hoping the cars are too! And my landlady's house or it's going to get crowded down here.

but you probably know that by now. leave them to one-time contributors; you know better...
we're on a rather steep hillside, but with pretty large trees around, although not dangerously close, i'd say. the storms of the last few years have taken care of those that were more dangerously close -- but none did any real harm, besides power line damage.
it's starting: a hefty 400-lb limb has already made itself at home on the lawn next door

indeed. I feel similarly with creatures that are big and gregarious and get all the attention; they don't need more of mine, but the feeling isn't even so conscious. I just find myself turning my back on eagles to pay attention to little warblers.

Glad that limb landed on the lawn! And I hope the big trees are DOWNhill from your house!

luckily, no structural or roof damage
still having power, and the Net! yaaay!!!

I still just keep hearing lots of wind, and we have power too - amazing, but I hope it holds!

As far as I know, Vassili hasn't been on BG since his message here. I hope it is nothing more than an electrical outage.

we're now @ a friend's checking our mailboxes
over the last ~80 hrs i've read close to 1,200 pp of fine prose & consumed ~2L of liqu..or
spending much time outside walking, raking, BBQ'ing w/family, friends, and neighbors.
briefly, enjoying life. missing BG, tho.

I'm also glad to know you're doing well, and that you found some a connection to be able to check in here. I myself passed the power outage reading Bram Stoker's Dracula in front of a roaring fire. ;-) Some things about power outages can be good, and it sounds like you are making the best of it!

Glad to have it confirmed that your absence isn't a result of something more serious.

Glad you are OK. Enjoy your forced vacation or whatever! Be back soon, though.

i'll be back full time soon

The wind is up here in the Virginia suburbs, and my house had a brief power interruption about half an hour ago, but things are expected to begin slacking off after midnight. Thus, we may have escaped the worst, but, unfortunately, the reports are suggesting that NJ is suffering the brunt and that the storm is manifesting there and north of there as a severe nor'easter. Hope all BGers in the area will escape power outages or wet basements.

and everything! How did your son and his house fare?

I am not sure all danger of Potomac flooding has yet passed, but I am not aware of any water problems in Belle View from Sandy.

I'm not, either. The only flooding and evacuation I heard of was a couple streets in Huntington near Cameron Run. And I'm sure Old Town flooded just because it always does.

Nice to "meet" you here! I've seen your name on here before but didn't realize you were a neighbor. I'm over in Belle Haven, where the power goes out even from a forceful sneeze, so I was surprised to wake up this morning and still have it. I got on the computer and came right over to this page and am surprised to see a complete ID of this, as I know Ichneumon can be tricky. Thanks for that, and stay safe!

I am in the western part of the city proper, but my son lives in the Belle View area just southeast of you, where the danger of flooding is significant. As for recognizing the family Ichneumonidae, your photo provides a good representation of the forewing venation. The small, distinctive pentagonal cell is called the areolet. Not all Ichneumonidae have an areolet, and it is pentagonal only in some subfamilies, especially most Ichneumoninae and a portion of Cryptinae. Extending from the bottom of the areolet is the vertical vein termed the second-recurrent in the old terminology and 2m-cu in the terminology of Ross. Neither the 2m-cu nor the areolet are ever found in Braconidae, but they are found in nearly all Ichneumonidae, and they are the one character that serves best for recognition of the family. As for the white band on the flagellum, this is more common among species of Ichneumonidae than in other Hymenoptera, but some Braconidae and sawflies have this character, too, so it needs to be considered in light of whatever other characters may be visible in a photograph.

Thank you! I like to know what to look for when possible. I have a lot of small Hymenopterans that got caught in the bee traps I set out, sampling my yard for the USGS, so they'll be showing up here.

It sounds like you're in an area that should be safe, but good luck to your son! I hope the water stays away from his house.

I thought it might be but don't know enough to be sure. Is the white/yellow antenna band an indicator? Not that they all have that, but if it does, is it a definite Ichneumon?

Thank you!