Quick Facts

Scientific name:  Ichneumonidae

Size:  Up to 40mm long

Distribution:  Found throughout the UK

Months seen:  April to November

Life span:  Up to 10 months

Habitat:  Hedgerows, woodland rides, parks, gardens, and meadows

Food:  The larvae feed on other insects.  The adults feed on nectar and aphid honeydew

Special features:  Ichneumon wasps are solitary insects which are closely related to bees and ants. Most ichneumons are parasitoids.  The females lay their eggs into, or onto, the young of other insects and spiders, and the young which hatch out feed on that host insect.  The host is eventually killed and consumed by the larva just before it pupates.

The photos on this page show just a few of the 2,500 or so different Ichneumon species found in the UK.  As you can see they are varied in colour, shape and size, but some species look very similar and require detailed examination with a microscope for an accurate identification.

One of our largest ichneumon flies is called Rhyssa persuasoria (photo). It can be recognised by its orange-red legs and distinctive pattern of white spots along the entire length of its body.  It has a long egg-laying tube (ovipositor) which it uses to inject its eggs into the larvae of wood wasps.

Related Pages

• Creepy-crawlies Section
• Identify other wildlife
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