Hoplismenus bidentatus

Hoplismenus bidentatus is an Ichnuemon wasp of the tribe Ichneumonini which is mainly black with some variablility to its abdomen which can have red tergites T2-T4. The antennae are black with females having a white band centrally. The scutellum is ivory or marked in ivory and the propodeum has two spines to the lateral margins. Males have white bands to the hind tarsus. Females have black heads and face with the exception of ivory inner orbits. Body length ~ 10 - 11mm

Hoplismenus bispinatorius which tends to be smaller with body length ~ 7 - 9 mm

• Spines to the lateral margins of propodeum
• Ivory scutellum or Ivory scutellar markings
• Males with white banding to hind tarsus
• Females with central white bands to antennae
• At most T2-T4 in part or wholly red
• Females & Males have black faces, females with inner orbits ivory, males at most ivory to inner orbits.

Identification advice should be sought from British Ichneumonoidea Facebook

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Woodland and gardens there is a plant association with Honeysuckle where adults emerge from pupae of some moth species

Spring through Summer

Adults emerge from pupae of Moth species like the Small Elephant Hawk-moth

Scarce/underrecorded