The
Ichneumonidae family consists of a wide variety of parasitic wasps. These wasps are mostly solitary and come in many different forms. These wasps
procreate by placing their eggs inside the larvae or pupae of other insects or spiders. Most
ichneumonid wasps lay their eggs inside their host, called
endoparasitic, while others are
ectoparasitic, laying their eggs close to the host so that the larvae can feed on them externally.
I originally misidentified this insect as a Thyreodon
atricolor, endoparatic ichneumonid wasp. Thanks to one of my readers, who's blog is
Don't Bug Me, I now know that this is incorrect. This insect only has a single pair of wings where wasps have two pairs of wings. This is probably actually a type of crane fly but which specific type I am not certain.
This is a true
Ichneumonid wasp, notice it has 4 wings. I believe it is a form of giant ichneumon. These use their long
ovipositor to lay their eggs inside of
hortail wasp larvae which bore inside of hardwood trees. I took this pic in St
Croix State Park.
The Ichneumonidae family consists of a wide variety of parasitic wasps. These wasps are mostly solitary and come in many different forms. These wasps procreate by placing their eggs inside the larvae or pupae of other insects or spiders. Most ichneumonid wasps lay their eggs inside their host, called endoparasitic, while others are ectoparasitic, laying their eggs close to the host so that the larvae can feed on them externally.
I originally misidentified this insect as a Thyreodon atricolor, endoparatic ichneumonid wasp. Thanks to one of my readers, who's blog is Don't Bug Me, I now know that this is incorrect. This insect only has a single pair of wings where wasps have two pairs of wings. This is probably actually a type of crane fly but which specific type I am not certain. 
This is a true Ichneumonid wasp, notice it has 4 wings. I believe it is a form of giant ichneumon. These use their long ovipositor to lay their eggs inside of hortail wasp larvae which bore inside of hardwood trees. I took this pic in St Croix State Park. 
