Lunate Ichneumon vs Yellow-Legged Horntail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Lunate Ichneumon Yellow-Legged Horntail
Scientific Name Megarhyssa greenei Urocerus augur
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Ichneumonidae Siricidae
Size 25-40 mm body, ovipositor up to 80 mm 20-30 mm
Habitat Woodlands Forests
Diet Parasitoids Wood Feeders
Regions North America East Asia, Japan
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Lunate Ichneumon

A reddish-brown parasitoid wasp native to North America. It targets horntail larvae in hardwood trees and uses its long ovipositor to reach them.

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Did You Know?

It is the smallest of the three North American Megarhyssa species but still impressively large.

Yellow-Legged Horntail

A large, dark-bodied wood wasp with bright yellow legs that contrast sharply with its blue-black body. Found primarily in conifer forests of eastern Asia.

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Did You Know?

Like all horntails, the short horn-like projection at the tail is not a stinger but a structural feature called a cornus, present in both sexes.