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Looks like a dragonfly, with wasp-like markings
Sun, May 24, 2009 at 6:31 PM
I saw this insect on the side of my house, it was roughly 2 inches long with a similar wingspread. I’m assuming it’s some kind of dragonfly, based on the mouth, wings, and body. I’ve never seen one with markings like this though, it reminds me of a wasp, with striking yellow-on-black. I also don’t recall seeing a dragonfly with antennae ever before. Any idea what this guy is?
Kyle, Hatfield MA
Hatfield, MA

Male Giant Ichenumon

Dear Kyle,
This is a male Giant Ichneumon in the genus Megarhyssa.  Giant Ichneumons are parasitoids that are closely related to wasps, but they do not sting.  Your photo is of particular significance because of its high quality and also because we very infrequently receive images of male Giant Ichneumons.  In July 2007, we received a wonderful image of several males awaiting the emergence of a female.   BugGuide has a photo of a male Megarhyssa atrata, the species we believe you have photographed, and the posting contains a significant commentary posing the possibility that it might be a related species, Megarhyssa macrurus, also a possibility in your case.  Most of the images we receive of Giant Ichneumons are of females, and a large number are ovipositing.  The female has an ovipositor that can be as long as four inches, and many of our readers mistake this for a stinger.  The female uses her ovipositor to deposit eggs deep inside dead and dying wood that contains wood boring grubs, often the larvae of the Pigeon Horntail.

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