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Horntail? (Kirkland, WA)
I have two, sometimes three of these, everyday, on the south facing windows. On the inside. Have not seen these insects around the home in previous years, but two events may explain (aside from the season). The first is the neighbor’s house was destrpyed by fire, the second I have had the torch down roof replaced. Now some of these insects I see each day have an ovipositor and some like this one pictured, don’t. And then again, some have an orange banding around their bodies and not yellow … and there appears to be an armored shell. The picture was taken using a Nikon Coolpix 775. The insect is in a glass jar. Wasps or horntails?
regards
chrisE

Hi chrisE,
This appears to be a male Ichneumon. Females have the long ovipositors. Eggs are laid deep inside dead and dying trees since the larval food is wood boring insects. Ichneumons are related to wasps. Eric Eaton added the following: ” Oh, that male ichneumon could be a female. Not all female ichneumons have a long ovipositor. In fact, most don’t.”

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