Ichneumon Wasp
James Newman makes his debut on InsectPOD today with this great photo of a stingless wasp. He has this to say about it:
Last night (or perhaps this morning, judging by timestamps (I couldn’t sleep)), we had our windows open to cool down cheaply, and had a guest fly in. My wife at first thought it was another mayfly, but after watching it, and seeing it land, I figured out that it was a parasitic wasp of some sort….
I’ve attached the best of the shots I could get, and if http://bugguide.net/node/view/85343/bgpage is a good match, it’s Genus Enicospilus, but I’m pretty sure it’s Family Ichneumonidae - Ichneumon Wasps (http://bugguide.net/node/view/150/bgpage). I didn’t think to get directly underneath it (and probably wouldn’t have had the nerve) to get a good shot of the wings, which looks like a key to identification. Ah, well.
Either way, after the photos were taken, my compassionate wife asked if I would kill it now. I begged off, it being late, and me not knowing if it could sting (I believe i found that it couldn’t). Later found a jar and transported it outside.
Thank for for sending this in, James! Great picture. And on behalf of solitary wasps everywhere, thank you for releasing it outside. 
JFargo said,
May 22, 2008 @ 10:31 am
Nice of you to bring it outside like that. I tend to do the same.
Very cool little write-up as well. Welcome to the glorious world of being featured on Insect POD, James!
James said,
May 22, 2008 @ 10:37 am
Thanks, glad to be here. It looks like I need to clean the place a bit, though. If I see right it (she?) has a hunk of dust in her face.
Matthew Smith said,
May 23, 2008 @ 12:48 am
Great photo. What is it perched on?
Melia said,
May 23, 2008 @ 9:23 pm
That would be the fan pull in my studio that it is perched on. Right above where I sit at my easle.