1. DISTRIBUTION

Ichneumon stramentor ^[1,2,3,4,5] is a common wasp and one of the most occurring wasps throughout the Netherlands ^[2].

In some older literature it is called I. stramentarius, which is another Ichneumon species ^[7].

 

2. BEHAVIOUR

2.1. ACTIVITY

The species is active from February to October ^[2].

2.2. DEVELOPMENT

The species overwinters as larva and has possibly more generations per year ^[6]. The larvae pupate in the ground in May ^[6].

Development take on average 27 days for females and 26 days for males ^[6].

 

3. PARASITIC RELATIONS

I. stramentor is a. probably polyphagous ^[6], endoparasitoid on moths from the Noctuidae family ^[6], on the following species occurring in the Netherlands ^[7]:

Owlet moths (NOCTUIDAE)

–Anaplectoides prasinus [6] –Apamea sordens [6] –Diarsia brunnea [6] –Noctua fimbriata [6] –Orthosia cerasi [6] –Orthosia incerta [6] –Phlogophora meticulosa [6] –Xestia baja [6] –Xestia ditrapezium [6] –Xestia stigmatica (syn. X. rhomboidae [8]) [6] –Xestia trianglum [6]

The following hosts have been observed in the garden:

Owlet moths (NOCTUIDAE)

–Large yellow underwing (Noctua pronuba) [6] –Angle shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) [6] –Setaceous Hebrew character (Xestia c-nigrum) [6]

 

3. IDENTIFICATION

It is a large wasp with a length of 13 – 15 mm ^[2].

The characteristics of I. stramentor are ^[5]:

Females

1. Tergites 2 and 3 yellow

2. Tergites 5, 6 and 7 with yellow spot, spot 5 smaller than spot 6

3. Scutellum yellow

4. Pronotum black

5. Hind leg black
6. Hind tibia with yellow band, black on extreme base and lower edge

7. Tarsus members hind leg black
8. Tarsus members 2 and 3 with lightbrown base

9. Tarsus member 3 hind leg length = 1,5 x width in middle

10. Temples directly behind eyes converging

11. Underside coxa hind leg with scopa (hair patch)

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References

¹ Nederlands Soortenregister

² Waarneming.nl

³ BROAD, Gavin. Identification key to the subfamilies of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera). Natural History Museum, London, 2011.

⁴ PERKINS, James F. Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea, Ichneumonidae, key to subfamilies and Ichneumoninae.

⁵ PERKINS, John Frederick. Hymenoptera, Ichneumonoidea: Ichneumonidae I.[and] Ichneumoninae II, Alomyinae, Agriotypinae and Lycorininae.

⁶ HINZ, Rolf; HORSTMANN, Klaus. Über Wirtsbeziehungen europäischer Ichneumon-Arten.

⁷ Broad, Gavin. (2005). Checklist of British and Irish Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera)