Ophion obscuratus?

[JRsbugs]

Hello,

I took this inside on 3rd November, I think it was one which I saw under the top of the door frame the previous night but this gave me an opportunity to take better pics.

I found a discussion on flickr (hi Joe! ) about these, which might be of interest to others. Based on what was said I thought mine could be Ophion obscuratus.

Ichneumon - Ophion obscuratus? | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I turned one pic on it's side..

Janet

[Dillybythesea]

Hi Janet!

Having found the insect I removed from the hall last night still sitting in the glass jar this morning (!) I tipped it onto the ivy tree and took some more shots. This allowed me to pursue Jason's very helpful steer about Ophion sp, and I came upon Ophion obscuratus as being one of the few one can pin down, and when googling that, not unnaturally came upon this posting of autumn last year. (It sounds sort of like stalking, but isn't!)

Comparing the pattern on your thorax and mine, and also the pale wedges at the end of the stigma, is it safe to label it Ophion obscuratus ?

[Dillybythesea]

PS

Just came across this, but am still thinking it sounds as though 'autumnal giants' of O. obscuratus are most likely, yes? I measured mine this morning and it was about 20mm plus the very long antennae on top. 'Autumn giant' sounds about right!

Taxonomy | Natural History Museum

[JRsbugs]

Hi Rhona!

However, they can still be recognised as O. obscuratus by the:

• yellow apex to the stigma
• the noticeably paler stripes along the inner edges of the eyes

That sounds good enough to me! The NHM won't be wrong.

Laboratoire: Insectes et environnement