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ichneumon wasps


ichneumon wasps
Photo Information
Copyright: didier garnier (ddg) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 855 W: 23 N: 942] (5111)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-07-16
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 300 D, 100mm f/2.8MacroØ58
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/640 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-12-19 5:31
Viewed: 930
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Ichneumonoidea
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Suborder: Apocrita
Superfamily: Ichneumonoidea
The Ichneumonoidea are insects classified in the hymenopteran suborder Apocrita. The superfamily is made up of the ichneumon wasps (often inaccurately called "ichneumon flies"; family Ichneumonidae) and the braconids (family Braconidae). Like other parasitic wasps, they were long placed in the "Parasitica", variously considered as an infraorder or an unranked clade, but actually not a monophyletic group.
The superfamily Ichneumonoidea has been estimated to contain well over 80,000 different species. The ichneumon wasps are more familiar to non-entomologists, being larger and about three times as diverse as the braconids.
They are solitary insects, and most are parasitoids—the larvae feeding on or in another insect which finally dies. As with all hymenopterans, ichneumons are closely related to ants and bees.
Members of the family Ichneumonidae are usually larger than members of the Braconidae, and are distinguished primarily by details of wing venation. Many species in both families utilize polydnaviruses to suppress the immune system of the host insect.

Some members use many different insects as a host, others are very specific in host choice. Various ichneumons are used successfully as biological control agents in controlling pests such as flies or beetles.
Female Megarhyssa laying eggs
Ichneumon wasp species are highly diverse - ranging from 3mm (1/8-inch) to 13 cm (5 inches) long. Most are slender, with the females of many species (particularly in the genus Megarhyssa) having an extremely long ovipositor for laying eggs. The female finds a host and lays an egg on, near, or inside the host's body. Upon hatching, the larval ichneumon feeds either externally or internally, killing the host when they themselves are ready to pupate. Despite looking formidable, the ovipositor does not deliver a sting like many wasps or bees. It can be used by the wasps to bore into and lay eggs inside rotten wood.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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nagraj, valy67, adilakbar, ferranjlloret, sayat, marhowie, cicindela, peter_stoeckl, SelenE, trekks, meyerd has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

hi didier,
very fine collage of these amazing wasps in various positions supported by very informative notes. tfs.
nagraj.v

Bonjour Didier !
J'adore ces drôles d'abeilles, j'en avais déjà vu souvent, mais j'ignorais de quoi il s'agissait - maintenant je le sais, grâce à TN ! :-) Chacune de ces images est magnifique et pourrait eêtre postée seule, mais ensemble elles forment une belle étude qui nous permet de voir l'insecte sous des angles différents. Excellents détails. Félicitations !
Valerie.

Hi Didier beautiful macros of wasp. All are in sharp focus with nice BG & light on them. Well Done Regards - Adil.

Bon soir Didier,
Une série très bien élaborée de de celle-ci fouette, bonne composition.
Salut. Ferran

  • Great 
  • eliz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 167 W: 22 N: 269] (1533)
  • [2008-12-20 0:27]

great compilation of images. i like especially the one from center

  • Great 
  • sayat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 290 W: 0 N: 258] (1457)
  • [2008-12-20 2:11]

Bonjour Didier,

Very interesting collage with amazing pictures and great sharpness. Great note too.

HI Didier,
that post is excellent, I love the collage of the different poses of this interesting wasp.
I also saw this kind some times, it's wonderful. Amazing what it can do with the tail, thanks
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Hello Didier,
Wonderful presentation, this is a great series of shots.
And seeing the tiny waist of this wasp reminds me..
I need to make a New Years resolution to loose that extra 10 pounds I put on this year ;}
Happy Holidays!
Howard

Amazing collage Didier and great documentary presentation. I like a lot the quality of this photos - not only very goog technique but also educational value!
Bravo and TFS!
Greetings from Poland,
Radomir

Bonjour Didier,
an interesting, precisely clear documentation of ichneumon wasps in beautiful colours, nicely composed. I've been fascinated and puzzled by the way those wasps are placing their thin, fragile looking ovipositors into larvae deeply hidden in solid wood: Pictures at the left seem to tell me that the wasps are obvously taking advantage of fissures in the wood, but still a wonderful miracle of detection.
Thank you for the interesting, well made contribution.
Joyeux Noël!
Peter

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2399 W: 63 N: 4206] (13770)
  • [2008-12-28 23:28]

Hi Didier,
That's a very nice collage. I like your presentation a lot. Each of the photos are very well focused, exposed and composed. TFS
Greetings,
Selen

bonjour didier

A lovely collage of photos showing fine capture of wasp showing good focus sharpness and colorful detail, and making full use of bokeh blur effect in the side profile shots.

Very informative note.

Wishing you all the best for 2009.

tfs, bill

Hi Didier,
absolutely smashing, these shots. You showed the amazing feat of drilling into wood for so fragile a creature. Absolute high- class stuff you present!

My best regards
Dietrich

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