Ufo?

[Bullyluvver]

Does anyone know what this is? It hovers like a bee but makes no noise and has a long antennae type 'thing' protruding from it's rear. It's driving me mad trying to find out what it is.

[nikolai_avenger]

Nice find. Looks to me like Gasteruptiinae, possibly Gasteruption jaculator, a parasitic wasp often associated with mason bees. The long thing out the back is an ovipositor which it uses to lay eggs in/on the host. Therefore you have a female specimen here.

Cheers. Nik.

[pressld2]

Welcome to WAB and thanks for your perfect timing! We were photographing these on the butterfly walk at Southwater Woods in Sussex yesterday and had no idea what they were other than a type of ichneumon wasp. One of my tasks for today was to try and track down an ID. Thanks!

Dave P.

[Bullyluvver]

Thank you so much for those answers. I've since found out that they like to lay their eggs in old wood - hence the interest it showed in my wooden wind chime! I wonder if, being a wasp of sorts, it has sting, because I did try to catch it with my bare hands as I thought it was (unbelievably) quite pretty. I could get addicted to this forum!

Gail

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by Bullyluvver

I could get addicted to this forum!

LOL! You wouldn't be the first! I only joined to get an ID for a fungus and now look at me!

I don't know the answer about stinging. The males don't sting but your one is a female. The long white-tipped spine sticking out from her tail is the ovipositer. Some species can use their ovipositer to sting, either in defence or to inject some venom when laying an egg in a bee or wasp larva. But I don't know if this species is one of those or not.

Dave P.

[nikolai_avenger]

Originally Posted by pressld2

Welcome to WAB and thanks for your perfect timing! We were photographing these on the butterfly walk at Southwater Woods in Sussex yesterday and had no idea what they were other than a type of ichneumon wasp. One of my tasks for today was to try and track down an ID. Thanks!

Dave P.

Indeed they belong to a separate family (Gasteruptiidae) within the order Hymenoptera, compared to the ichneumon wasps (family: Ichneumonidae).

I think. Tricky (but fascinating) subject, these parasitic wasps.

Disclaimer: Of course, I am happy to be corrected on the above. I am by no means an expert. ;-)


Cheers. Nik.

[pressld2]

You're right Nik. I've been doing a bit of reading up although there's not a lot available on the Internet about this species. I think it might have been classed as an ichneumon at some point because Wikipedia (yes, I know!) gives Ichneumon jaculator as a synonym. But as you say, it's now in a different family.

I found one web site that said it's "proof that evolution enjoys a joke as much as anybody!"

Dave P.

[nikolai_avenger]

Originally Posted by pressld2

I found one web site that said it's "proof that evolution enjoys a joke as much as anybody!"

Dave P.

Indeed, the same can be (and frequently has been) said about me. Can I ask - did you by any chance get any decent shots of these on the butterfly walk you mentioned above? I'd be interested to see them if you've posted them anywhere?

Cheers. Nik.

[pressld2]

They were very tricky to photograph but I did get a few shots that I was pleased with. We have the "five a day" rule for the Gallery and I've been concentrating on uploading the butterflies, but they're all done now so I plan to upload some other insects tomorrow. I'll add them to this thread when I do.

Dave P.

[nikolai_avenger]

Well, honestly, don't worry if you haven't already, no need to do it on my account! I'm sure you've enough to do as it is.

Cheers. Nik.