In May 2007 I found this, what I thought at the time was some sort of egg in the ivy , there was just a single specimen there but I found a few more mainly in the Viburnum Dawn.
After a bit of asking around I found that it is actually an aphid which has been attacked by a parasitic Brachonid wasp! The wasp then injected an egg into it. While the parasitic larva devoured the aphid from inside the aphid carried on feeding. When the larva is mature, it creates the parchment like structure to enclose a cocoon. The adult wasp will emerge from this in a week or so. I find this totally fascinating - cruel but fascinating!
