Community identification
Stump stabber wasp
Megarhyssa sp.
- Order & Family
- Hymenoptera; Ichneumonidae
- Size
- About 2–4 cm long, excluding the female’s exceptionally long egg-laying organ.
Natural Habitat
Woodlands and forest edges, especially where dead or decaying trees contain wood-boring insect larvae.
Diet & Feeding
Larvae develop as parasitoids of wood-boring horntail wasps; adults may feed on nectar or other sugary fluids.
Behavior Patterns
Females use a long ovipositor to reach horntail larvae inside wood and lay an egg on or near them. The wasp in the image appears consistent with a male, which lacks the long ovipositor.
Risks & Benefits
Harmless to people and does not damage sound wood; it helps regulate wood-boring insect populations.