Ichneumon wasp, Amblyteles armatorius
Ichneumon wasp, Amblyteles armatorius (submitted by NaturePlus user pdh)
Amblyteles armatorius is one of the larger Ichneumon or parasitic wasps, around 15mm in length not including its antennae. It has a strongly built, slender body and is black and yellow in colour. Found all over lowland Britain, this species can be spotted visiting flowering plants at forest edges, hedgerows and natural gardens. Ichneumon wasps are often incorrectly called Ichneumon flies on account of their fly-like appearance. However, like other wasps, they have 2 pairs of clear membranous wings and long antennae. With over 60,000 species worldwide, this is the largest family of insects known.
