Ichneumon wasp

Description:

Ichneumon stramentarius is a parasitic wasp species, one of the many thousands, possibly even millions, of parasitic insects found throughout the world that help keep the complex balance of nature on an even keel by preventing any one species becoming too successful. These wasps are an endoparasitoid species, laying their eggs in the caterpillars of butterflies and moths which then hatch and feed internally inside their larval host which eventually dies. It is suggested that over ten percent of all known insects live off other animal species without giving anything back in return.

Habitat:

Suburban garden