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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEroN-O2HFdaPyEiLF99UxStSVUM0BAkIYunGKIN_N6yy1sKK9Wdpv19TtTzKzyr46cdOlc36gdxXBTTHkH3MPaEUADbNK4e32UdTnJ21vGsjO0bvA1MPWk6DX2njO-inqOmmdgiKsA/s280/grass-ichneumonid+%284%29-web.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10WOcNJJIUoWEx60NKDH-ZIRFsJvMTIRx9-iBTa8EJzNZ_RkI0VMfLlkNnbUt2x-kAXH8YlezddnOv8UUtc0bjaW2qSPo0wDsf2Nf8nMejLMtWQZY9QIjJmQMxerRo15dNbindJhyphenhypheneg/s280/grass-ichneumonid+%281%29-web.jpg)
Notice the antenna wrapped right round the seedhead in this shot:
Hi Stuart, Snap! I saw one like this hunting on grasses in my garden - see http://cabinetofcuriosities-greenfingers.blogspot.com/search/label/parasitic%20hymenopteran
ReplyDeletePhil, 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:
ReplyDeletehttp://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.