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What is this bug?
My neighbor showed these to me and wanted to know what they are. He showed me a tree in his yard that has small round holes in it. The bark is falling off where the holes are and the tree is dying. Are the holes being made from these insects or another? Could it be that these insects are feeding off of another bug that is destroying his trees?
Awesome site,
Dan Shope

Hi Dan,
These insects are Giant Ichneumons in the genus Megarhyssa. They feed on the larvae of wood boring insects. The tree could have been dying on its own which attracted the boring insects, or it could have had an infestation of wood boring beetles or other insects that contributed to its demise. At any rate, once the wood borers were present, the Giant Ichneumons were attracted. These beneficial insects help to control the populations of more destructive insects, kepping the delicate balance of nature.

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