Ichneumon stramentor

Length 13 to18 mm. Female - Long tapered abdomen, first half yellow and rear half black, with yellow spot at the tip (both on the top and beneath. Legs have black femora; tibiae are half yellow blending into brown that exceeds to the tarsi. Black thorax (with yellow spot) and black head. Long dark antennae with broad white patch about half way along its length. Wings have a brownish tinge. Male has all dark antennae, no yellow spot to the tip of the abdomen but can't be easily distinguished from other similar species.

Female , Male

Females - your specimen should have these features:

• all yellow abdominal tergites 2 and 3
• a yellow tip to the andomen
• clear yellow bands in the middle of the hind tibia
• pale bands on the antennae

Meadows, hedgerows and woodland edge.

April to July.

The larva parasitise the Large Yellow Underwing and Setaceous Hebrew Character moth caterpillars (possibly others), the adult wasp lays its eggs inside the caterpillar, the developing larva then eats it from the inside.

Probably quite frequent, but little recorded in Britain.

Status in Leicestershire and Rutland not known.