Its huge!
Location: Southern New York State (Corning)
June 3, 2011 2:42 pm
We discovered this little guy when we were outside today, the tail on it was about three inches long to give you an idea of the size. I personally have never seen anything with a tail on it, much less the size this thing is.
Signature: Thanks!
Giant Ichneumon
This is a female Giant Ichneumon, the second image we received the same day. The photo we just finished posting shows the female in the act of using that lengthy ovipositor to place her eggs deep within the wood of a tree infested with wood boring larvae.
What is this in Michigan? A wasp?
Location: Detroit Metro, Michigan
June 3, 2011 8:30 pm
Ew we found this tonight … it looks like it is injecting our tree!!!
Is it a wasp?!
Signature: Noel
Giant Ichneumon
Hi Noel,
We want to begin by complimenting you on having taken a beautiful photograph of a female Giant Ichneumon (see BugGuide) in the genus Megarhyssa, most likely Megarhyssa macrurus, in the act of ovipositing or depositing her eggs. While this probably appears to be detrimental to the tree, the larvae of the Giant Ichneumon does not feed on wood. Rather, they feed upon the larvae of the wood boring Pigeon Horntail. The Pigeon Horntail does not generally infest healthy trees, so this tree is most likely already in a state of decline. Both the Pigeon Horntail and the Giant Ichnuemon belong to the same insect order as bees and wasps, Hymenoptera, but neither the Pigeon Horntail nor the Giant Ichneumon is capable of stinging. They are wasp-like without being true wasps. This is our second sighting of a Giant Ichneumon reported today.
Update:
June 5, 2011
We just received and posted a new photo of the host insect, the Pigeon Horntail.
What bug is this?
Location: Metro, Sydney.
March 31, 2011 11:59 pm
Dear Bugman,
Can you please help identify what this bug is.
I live in metropolitan Sydney and I took a photo of this in my back yard. Its approximatly 1cm in length, shiny black with features that resemble a cicada, fly and a grasshopper. Can you help me know who my neighbour is. Thank you!
Signature: Damian
Ensign Wasp
Hi Damian,
This is an Ensign Wasp, and it really needs to be recognized as it performs a significant function. Ensign Wasps parasitize the oothica or egg cases of Cockroaches, though to the best of our knowledge, there have not been any studies on how effective Ensign Wasps are in controlling Cockroach populations.
What’s This Bug?
Location: Chicago land
March 4, 2011 12:37 am
I Found this ant like insect on my basement workbench, I thought it was a regular old ant, but I noticed the stinger on it’s back. I’m in the Chicago land area and the outside temperatures got above freezing this day (3-2-11) it’s real small about 1/8 of an inch (I used a 60mm macro lens with a extension tube)
Thanks
Signature: Bill G
Flightless Ichneumon
Hi Bill,
We can only surmise that this is some species of flightless Parasitic Wasp. We need to rush off and cannot research this at the moment, though we have requested assistance from Eric Eaton. Moments before posting, we decided to try to locate any Flightless Ichneumons, and BugGuide has numerous images in the genus Gelis. BugGuide states: “Many species of Gelis are wingless. Habits are diverse. Many are external parasites of Lepidoptera in cocoons, others are parasitic on Symphyta, spiders, Diptera larvae and pupae, or wood-boring Coleoptera larvae. Many are Hyperparasites.”
Eric Eaton provides confirmation
Daniel:
Wow! Great image of an adult female ichneumon wasp in the genus Gelis:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/41499
May I use this image in one of my blogs I wonder? 
Eric
sure he can use it, no problem and thanks for the info, BTW is this bug a common thing or something that I should be concerned about? since I found another one by my back door.
also great web site you have, it’s now bookmarked
Thanks
Bill Grenchik
Hi Bill,
We are copying Eric Eaton with your response. There is no need to be concerned regarding the Ichneumon. We understand that some Ichneumons are capable of stinging, but that is a rare occurrence if they are carelessly handled.
Wasp, fly, cricket combo
Location: Houston ,TX
February 18, 2011 3:35 pm
Every spring and summer these little buggers end up in our bathrooms. This has happened in every house we have lived in and I cannot figure out what they are or how they get in. They sting and usually only come in one at a time, but we get a new one every few days for months on end.
Signature: Kelly Peyton
Ensign Wasp
I just found out what it is after searching “Houston” on your site…It’s an ensign wasp and I guess although they look like they sting they don’t? They sure have a BIG stinger!
Hi Kelly,
We are happy to hear you identified your Ensign Wasp using our archives. We are surprised that you are reporting that they sting. We believe the stinger is actually an ovipositor but in some insects, the ovipositor also serves as a stinger. We hope you still consider the Ensign Wasp to be beneficial since the female parasitizes the oothica or egg case of Cockroaches.
What’s this bug??
Location: Sydney, Australia
February 20, 2011 1:21 am
Hi bugman,
We had two of these bug’s in the house today. We live in Sydney, Australia, it’s Summer and it’s a humid day around 30 degrees. What is it?
Signature: Sophie
Ensign Wasp
Hi Sophie,
This is a beneficial Ensign Wasp. The female parasitizes the oothica or egg case of cockroaches helping to keep the cockroach population in check.
Hi,
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly and thank you for the answer. That makes sense – we have a huge cockroach population inside our house at the moment, it’s out of control.
Regards,
Sophie
I haven’t the slightest…
Location: Rochester, Minnesota
December 30, 2010 7:07 pm
Hi, I found this bug in my very own backyard, it was sitting on a tree, and appeared to be pumping the tree with… something with it’s 3 inch sting, and I really have no idea what it could be.
Signature: Gannon S.
Giant Ichneumon Oviposits
Hi Gannon,
We are guessing that you did not take this photograph of a female Giant Ichneumon, Megarhyssa atrata, in the act of ovipositing recently, but rather, you are trying to identify an insect you witnessed during the summer. Though she is laying eggs, this Giant Ichneumon will not harm the tree. Her brood will feed on the wood boring larvae of the Pigeon Horntail, an insect that is found in dead and dying wood as well as the wood of trees that are already in decline.
Giant Ichneumon wasp and mates
December 29, 2010 1:32 pm
I wish I would have discovered your web site earlier in the year. I had the unusual pleasure of discovering the Giant Ichneumon along with her small males in my garage. It was an awesome experience to see her and two of the smaller blue black males. They were flying around the garage and attracted to the fluorescent light. At the time I did not know what they were. My husbands first reaction was to grab the bug spray….needless to say I did not allow that to happen! Why is it that so many people want to destroy what they do not understand? Anyway, I love your site!
Signature: Kristi Bird
Giant Ichneumon Mating Activity
Dear Kristi,
Thanks for sending in an awesome letter. WE wish you had enclosed a photograph. We found a photo in our archives that illustrates male Giant Ichneumons congregating around females to accompany your letter in our posting. It was originally submitted in 2007.
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