This colorful Ichneumon wasp is approximately .75 inch in body length. It is black with prominent white abdominal bands and thoracic spots. The eyes are black with white rings. The black antennae are long with white bands in the median area. The legs are orange. The black ovipositor is about one half the length of the abdomen which is characteristic of members of this subfamily, Cryptinai.
The frequency of occurrence of this wasp is not known. Photos 1 and 3 were taken in the plaza at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center in early July. Look for this wasp in the early summer months through early fall.
Members of Cryptinai, a very large subfamily with 765 species in North America, have depressed abdomens with the first segment slender basally becoming wider apically. Agonocryptus is an ectoparasitoid of woodboring beetles. The female uses her ovipositor to bore through the tree and deposit her egg on the larva. Her larva will then feed on the beetle larva host. Adult Agonocryptus wasps have been observed emerging from Oak Twig Pruner Beetle (Anealaphus) larvae.
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