Ichneumonidae - Ichneumons

All images on this website have been taken in Leicestershire and Rutland by NatureSpot members. We welcome new contributions - just register and use the Submit Records form to post your photos. Click on any image below to visit the species page. The RED / AMBER / GREEN dots indicate how easy it is to identify the species - see our Identification Difficulty page for more information. A coloured rating followed by an exclamation mark denotes that different ID difficulties apply to either males and females or to the larvae - see the species page for more detail.

Bees, Wasps, Ants

Bees, wasps and ants are all part of an insect order called Hymenoptera. It is a huge group with many species and a diverse range of forms. The name hymenoptera means 'membrane wings'. A typical hymenopteran has 2 pairs of wings though they are coupled together with tiny hooks so appear as 1 pair.

Many members of this group are difficult or impossible to identify from field images. Make sure that your images include the diagnostic features needed to make a definitive identification.

Ichneumonidae - Ichneumons

The insects are all parasitoids and most attack caterpillars of butterflies and moths.

Natural History Museum Guide to common British ichneumon wasps - a very useful guide to 20+ species that can be identified from a good photo.