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Project Noah Nature School
Echthrus
Echthrus females can easily be distinguished from other Ichneumon species by their enlarged foretibia. These foretibia are thought to be specialized allowing the female to detect vibrations of wood boring insects. Once a host is detected, she pierces the wood with her ovipositor and places an egg in or near the host. Once the egg hatches the larva will feed on the host, eventually killing it. (A rare sighting of Echthrus niger ovipositing - http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/775...)
Observed in a deciduous woodland area on dead White pine.
Spotted on Apr 4, 2012
Submitted on Apr 6, 2012
3 Comments
It seems you have an Ichneumon radar... :-)
Thank you Cindy :)
Great shot of a pretty wasp!