NO. 025
Bees & wasps
Bald-faced hornet
White face on a black body
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NO. 026
Illustration · not shown at life size
Illustration · not shown at life sizeBees & wasps / Insect
Giant ichneumon wasp
Megarhyssa spp. · genus group
The female’s long tube is for laying eggs. She uses it to reach into dead wood.
Let’s look closerLittle clues
Three things to notice.
Long egg-laying tube.
Very slender waist.
Lays eggs into dead wood.
Out in the world
Where to look.
Around southeastern Wisconsin
Dead trees with horntails.
When to look
Summer, beside dead wood.
Look closely. Leave your tiny neighbor where you found it.
A closer look
One clue is just the start.
The long tube belongs to the female. It helps her lay eggs near a wood-eating insect hidden inside a tree.
A special find can be hard to spot without being biologically rare. Encounters depend on season and habitat.
Keep exploring
Meet the neighbors.
For curious grownups, too
Read a little further.
Original summaries, with references for deeper reading. Field notes are being checked against the supplied research.
Make a bug slide
Artwork & downloads.
Front artwork is made for a 3-inch clear disc. Revised artwork still needs a physical check. Reverse QR files use the confirmed permanent website.
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