Subject: Is this an Ichneumon?
Location: Dorset, England
June 30, 2013 12:16 pm
Hi,
I would be grateful to kniow if this is an Ichneumon? We pictured it in our garden yesterday afternoon in Dorset, England. The body was about 1 cm long, very delicate, plus the length of the probe. It was a very light insect which went off on the wind shortly after the picture was taken.
Kind regards,
Bob Bentley
Signature: Bob Bentley
Dear Bob,
This is a Parasitic Hymenopteran, but it is not an Ichneumon. We quickly found this image of a Carrot Wasp in the genus Gasteruption on BugGuide, and we figured we had nailed your identification request, but then we realized you were from England. BugGuide indicates: “Adults take nectar; larvae are predators or predator-inquilines of other Hymenoptera that nest in twigs or other woody sites” and “Gasteruption have a characteristic hovering flight with the swollen metatibiae hanging down so that the insect resembles a helicopter carrying a large load on a cable.” Nature Spot reports the species Gasteruption jaculator in England and notes: ” The female will visit the nests of various solitary bees or wasps, and will push her ovipositor into the nest, depositing her own eggs on or near to the eggs of the host, on hatching they will feed on the grubs of the host as well as on stored food.” We are not certain if the common family name of Carrot Wasp is used in England.
Thank you so much Daniel. Always nice to know we have a parasitic hymenopteran on the premises, it’s definitely one up on the neighbours!!!
Thanks again,
Bob