{"id":4011,"date":"2017-09-29T08:00:17","date_gmt":"2017-09-29T12:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/?p=4011"},"modified":"2017-09-29T08:00:17","modified_gmt":"2017-09-29T12:00:17","slug":"large-skinny-wasp-fly-long-red-antenna-orange-black-yellow-legs-wide-red-black-tail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturalcrooks.com\/rambles\/large-skinny-wasp-fly-long-red-antenna-orange-black-yellow-legs-wide-red-black-tail\/","title":{"rendered":"What Large Skinny Wasp or Fly Has Long Red Antenna, Long Orange Black and Yellow Legs and a Long Wide Red and Black Tail?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every so often you see an insect that is so colourful it demands your attention even if it\u2019s not particularly pretty. When I saw this one flying around at ankle level, carefully checking for something on every plant and stem, I tried to get a photo. It was moving steadily and never perched while I was watching, so I was pleased to get one photo that is reasonably clear.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s One of Our Old Friends, the Ichneumon Wasps<\/h2>\n

\"Photo
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

I checked my id with BugGuide.Net and as I suspected this is another type of Ichneumon Wasp. I wrote about seeing a female with an ovipositor so long she could barely fly<\/strong><\/a> earlier. This one Is quite different to look at especially with its wide red and black tail.<\/p>\n

According to the notes on BugGuide<\/strong><\/a> \u201cIchneumonids are notoriously hard to identify.\u201d Apparently there are a huge number of types and within those there are many that look identical but are actually different ones.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
\nThese guys fly so quickly that it’s hard to get them in focus. (OK I admit I’m also not a great photographer.)<\/p>\n

This Wasp Has a Very Long Red Abdomen that Widens and is Flattened near the Black \u201cTail\u201d End<\/h2>\n

That said, one of the BugGuide experts suggested mine<\/strong><\/a> is probably in the Subfamily Anomaloninae, and the genus Therion, and is probably a female.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a><\/p>\n

There are photos of similar looking ones posted from Pennsylvania and Nova Scotia, among other places in North America.<\/p>\n

What Does This Therion Wasp Eat?<\/h2>\n

\"Photo<\/a><\/p>\n

Again, from BugGuide, this family usually preys on butterfly, moth and beetle larvae when it is a larva itself. The female probably lays eggs on or near caterpillars or beetle larvae which then are eaten by her offspring.<\/p>\n

So this one I was watching was probably hunting for food for her future larvae.<\/p>\n

One butterfly website I visited mentioned that while this may seem cruel to us it is actually a good thing or the numbers of caterpillars would strip bare many trees and plants.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
\nDespite their colouring, these wasps are tricky to spot while they hunt among the clover, vetch and trefoils. Can you spot this one? Do you notice how the tri-coloured dangling legs now look more like stems?
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

I think I may feel rather smug next spring if I see another of these insects. I wonder how I can casually mention to my friends what it is without it being obvious that I\u2019m trying to brag?<\/p>\n

Related Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n