Comments for
Black insect with long curled tail (Pelecinid wasp)

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Pelecinid wasp
by: Moni

Bradley
The insect you found was a female pelecinid wasp - males are rare.
They are beneficial as they parasitize insect grubs and wood borers.
This female will push its long ovipositor into the soil to find the host, lay an egg on it, then the when the egg hatches it bores into the grub to feed....killing it.
They are found in eastern and central North America and into the southwestern US, as well as down into central and south America.
They are found in deciduous forests.
Great find!

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