Giant Ichneumon Wasp - Megarhyssa macrurus (video)

[Precarious]

(Not my photos or video.)

"This early spring wasp drilled her ovipositor into solid wood (and presumably, laid an egg onto a prey item) over the course of 4 minutes. The female wanders over the surface of the fallen log, tapping the wood with her antennae. She is "listening" for the vibrations of her prey target: a larvae of the horntail wasps, which live inside the wood. This gal spent a full 10 minutes prospecting before she began to drill. At this point, her ovipositor is "fully assembled" and appears as a solid-looking threadlike structure extending fully 2 inches behind her. "

Photos and info here:

http://www.cirrusima...arhyssa_fem.htm

 

[Seattle79]

That thing seems huge!

 

[Peter Clausen]

Interesting video! There is more to learn than time to learn it. I wonder about that film of liquid in the loop created by the ovipositor. I don't suppose I could blow a bubble out of it!