Giant-ichneumon
Guides
Megarhyssa nortoni quebecensis
Megarhyssa nortoni quebecensis is a subspecies of giant ichneumon wasp, among the largest members of family Ichneumonidae in North America. Females possess an extraordinarily long ovipositor—often exceeding body length—that they use to parasitize woodboring larvae of the pigeon horntail (Tremex columba) deep within dead or decaying hardwood. The wasp is harmless to humans, lacking a functional stinger; the apparent "stinger" is actually the ovipositor apparatus. Males are smaller, lack the elongated ovipositor, and exhibit distinctive aggregation behaviors around potential emergence sites.
Rhyssa crevieri
Rhyssa crevieri is a species of ichneumonid wasp in the genus Rhyssa, first described by Provancher in 1880. The genus Rhyssa contains large, conspicuous ichneumonids commonly known as giant ichneumon wasps. Members of this genus are characterized by their elongated bodies, long antennae, and notably long ovipositors used to access wood-boring host larvae. The species has been documented in North America, with limited observational records available.