Stats

Lifespan

A few weeks

Size

Medium

Diet

Insectivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Forests and meadows

Range

Worldwide

Movement

Flight

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Warning Colors

Status

Common

About

This wasp lives in forests and meadows, hunting for hidden insect larvae. Its long, drill-like ovipositor can pierce solid wood to inject eggs directly into a host.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Ichneumonidae