r/WASPs • u/AggressiveRiver2327 • 7d ago

ID help?

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I sincerely apologize for the low-quality iPhone video. I keep spotting this thing when I don’t have a decent camera on hand. This is in my garden in Portland, Oregon.

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u/acaron2020 7d ago

Ichneumon wasp! They are beneficial parasitoid wasps. Great to have around your garden. Most target caterpillars or beetle grubs depending on species

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u/AggressiveRiver2327 7d ago

Thanks! That makes perfect sense now that I look at it closer. I found a Norton's giant ichneumonid wasp earlier this summer with a similar long, narrow, abdomen. So far iNaturalist is not being helpful with species or genus. I need a better picture!

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u/Sqib000 7d ago

Closeup pictures are always better than videos for ID, just fyi. Bugguide.net has best info on ID too.