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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) » Black Giant Ichneumonid Wasp (Megarhyssa atrata)
Photo#836920
Megarhyssa - Megarhyssa atrata - male
Copyright © 2013 Steve Collins

Megarhyssa - Megarhyssa atrata - Male
Patuxent Branch Trail, Howard County, Maryland, USA
May 3, 2006

Images of this individual: tag all
Megarhyssa - Megarhyssa atrata - male Megarhyssa - Megarhyssa atrata - male
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Contributed by Steve Collins on 5 September, 2013 - 11:13am
Last updated 5 September, 2013 - 1:53pm

Moved
You had identified this as a female, but it is a male. The males will attempt to insert the metasoma into the exit hole being chewed by an emerging female. Evidently, this one has positioned the tip of his metasoma at the point where he senses that a female is chewing her way out. In other words, he is apparently establishing his position as first in line, as it is not uncommon for there to be several males competing to mate with an emerging female.

Moved from Giant Ichneumons.
… Bob Carlson, 5 September, 2013 - 1:52pm login or register to post comments

 
Fascinating!
Thanks for the story and the correction
… Steve Collins, 5 September, 2013 - 2:04pm login or register to post comments

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