strange fly in kitchen

reninfrance · #1 (**permalink**) 31-07-2009, 10:02 PM

can anyone ID this for me? It spent some time exploring my camera case in the kitchen having flown in from the garden.

thanks ren

JRsbugs · #2 (**permalink**) 31-07-2009, 10:13 PM

Hi ren,

This is a wasp in the family Ichneumonidae, a female most likely Pimpla species. As there are a few which are very similar it's as far as I can go.

Janet

reninfrance · #3 (**permalink**) 31-07-2009, 10:43 PM

Thanks again Janet.

Is this the parasitic type that might attack my swallowtail lavae? (if the adults return).
Do you know of a basic web text that will help me sort flies from wasps,bugs from beetles etc. It would help so much with starting to look things up?

I have a fair collection of photos of just insects in the garden that I would like to sort and name.
Ren

JRsbugs · #4 (**permalink**) 31-07-2009, 11:24 PM

They do parasite larva, some are specific to a species, so I would be on the look out.

Two sites you should find useful for both Diptera and Hymenoptera. Spend some time looking through the Galleries and you will soon see the differences. The eyes, antennae, wings are all pointers but there are flies which mimic bees and wasps.

Diptera.info - Photo Albums

Fotogalerie - Hymenoptera Information System (HymIS)