This has to be the most bizarre insect I've encountered. I spotted this Giant Ichneumon Wasp on the side of a dying tree. By tapping her antennae on the wood, she listens for the presence of wood boring larvae. She then lays her eggs through a narrow stinger-like tail (called an ovipositor) that is drilled into the wood. Her young will eventually feed on the wood boring insects. The good news is that these formidable-looking insects are actually beneficial in controlling other insects which destroy trees... and as an added bonus... they don't sting. (More info here).When you stop wondering, you might as well put your rocker on the front porch and call it a day.
--Johnny Carson (1925-2005), Comedian
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