Thursday 25 June 2009

Ichneumon time

This Ichneumonid was examining every grass seed looking for moth larvae. She didn't appear to find any, because no laying was noticed. Still...there's always tomorrow. For her, and for me.




Notice the antenna wrapped right round the seedhead in this shot:

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2 comments:

Phil said...

Hi Stuart, Snap! I saw one like this hunting on grasses in my garden - see http://cabinetofcuriosities-greenfingers.blogspot.com/search/label/parasitic%20hymenopteran

25 June 2009 at 16:37
Stuart said...

Phil, this is high season for them. It's probably Lissonota sp. which hunt moth larvae in grass florets. But you won't get it any closer from a pic. My favourite shot is here:

http://homepage.eircom.net/~hedgerow14/june26.htm

I noticed that someone commented on your blog that these can only be separated by examining genitalia. Not in any ichneumonid key that I've seen!

If I had another spare life these are what I would study. I adore them.

26 June 2009 at 15:00

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