Editorial photo #10330656 Human Interest

Animal India

The yellow-colored Ichneumon Wasp (Xanthopimpla punctata) plays a beneficial role in agriculture. These wasps are a subfamily of Pimplinae, which are important parasitoids of lepidopterous stem borers of cereals, sugar cane, and other crops; they lay their eggs on moth caterpillars that damage crops. Ichneumonidae is a family within the insect order Hymenoptera. Insects in this family are commonly called ichneumon wasps. Ichneumon wasps differ from typical wasps, which sting in defense (Aculeata: Vespoidea and Apoidea), in that the antennae have more segments; typically 16 or more, whereas the others have 13 or fewer. Female ichneumon wasps frequently exhibit an ovipositor longer than their body. The ovipositor is quite long and arises ventrally before the tip of the abdomen and is permanently extended (in stinging wasps the ovipositor issues from the tip of the abdomen and is withdrawn into the abdomen when not in use). The body length of this wasp is about 15mm. A Female yellow-colored Ichneumon Wasp is sits under the leaves in the dense forest for self-defense at Tehatta, West Bengal; India on 02/08/2023. (Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto)