Wasp Looking Thingy

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 4:16 pm

Canon PowerShot G7
Manual/macro mode, hand held, IS = On
1/500 sec. @ f/3.2 ISO 100
"My Colors" = neutral, AWB
Onboard flash @ 1/3, second curtain
Heavily overcast skies, confined to local area above 6,000ft.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 4:33 pm

Ichneumon of some sort. Seems like that coloration should be distinctive, but it would be tedious to crawl through BugGuide. Maybe somebody knows offhand?

Image #3 is a really nice combination of pose and lighting.

--Rik

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 4:49 pm

The critter was crawling on about a 2.5 inch OD handrail at the concessions stand. I just happened to notice it while slurpping a cup of hot coffee and munching on a piece of pecan pie. Got the curiosity of a park ranger and he asked; "whadda ya shoot'n?" "I dunno I said, some wasp looking thingy."

Thanks Rik

Gordon C. Snelling · Post by **Gordon C. Snelling** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 8:29 pm

Rik
is correct as to the Ident. However trying to get to species is likely to be a chore and a half. Perhaps an Arotes species though.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 3:31 am

Thanks Gordon

I did some reading up on these things and several referrences suggested Arotes as well. It was amazing to find out that these insects use a polydnavirus to suppress the hosts immune system so that the eggs will not be destroyed by the same and the polydnavirus is only replicated in specific cells of the female ichneumon wasps reproductive system and that there is a mutualistic or symbiotic relationship involved between the two.

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:40 am

A beautiful little creature Ken and some great photos also. I agree on the third one, lots more on the coloring showing. I just sent out my camera to be fixed so I am going through Withdrawal