insect id?

[JeffreH]

Brian, Megarhyssa is one of my favorite genera! They usually nail horntail larvae residing in the dead wood. Kind of interesting, horntails are rather gruesome looking, wasp-like ('ancestral wasp') insects in their own right!

Neil - Black soldier flies are pretty impressive wasp mimics =) Amazing how evolution has favored awesome hymenopteran mimics, because everything 'knows' that ants, bees, and wasps are bad news to mess with. From stick insect nymphs to totally harmless hover flies (Syrphids) that are near perfect bee mimics... Many, many examples of mimicry.

Eli - we can agree to disagree Without wasps we would lose millions...billions in agriculture. Caterpillars are the top herbivores in the world and guess what their #1 enemy is...wasps. Not to mention all of the other plant feeding hosts that parasitoid wasps use. It's worth noting that the parasitic species will not typically try to sting for defense (so no worries on that epic Megarhyssa ovipositor!). Heck, even the stinging, predatory wasps (i.e. Vespids) that make homes around us that most people hate are fantastic caterpillar and other insect hunters. Everything in nature has its role =D

See what happens when y'all start a post about wasps? I won't shut up

[LilyPad]

No one is asking you to stop, Jeff! Your information is awesome. Honestly, I never took an interest in insects until my daughter fell in love with bugs. Now I find them very fascinating! I always thought wasps were totally useless, now I know better