Wasp on bark.

[Trent Watts]

Many spruce trees in my local park are dying and I have been documenting some of the insects that seem to be attracted to the dead and dying wood.
This is a female Braconid wasp. Her ovipositor is almost as long as her body. She was moving up and down the bark of the tree, poking her ovipositor into cracks, apparently looking for larvae of other insects to lay her eggs.

 

[AlanLichty]

A very creative task - watching who eats what and who while the tree gets consumed. Sounds like a fun way to pass the time. Cool shot of maybe a not so nice lady given her egg laying habits.

 

[Trent Watts]

A very creative task - watching who eats what and who while the tree gets consumed. Sounds like a fun way to pass the time. Cool shot of maybe a not so nice lady given her egg laying habits.

Thanks Alan. It has been fascinating watching this process in action.