Female lemon tree borer parasite (xanthrocryptus novozealandicus)

The ichneumon wasp pictured above is a most useful inhabitant of the garden.  It is the lemon tree borer parasite (xanthrocryptus novozealandicus).


The female wasp drills into wood with her ovipositor to lay her eggs in the larvae of the destructive lemon tree borer.

Two lemon tree borer parasitic wasps exploring a choko leaf.

The lemon tree borer wasp is a small, slender insect 10 to 20 mm long.


It constantly twitches its feelers backwards and forwards when searching for prey.  


The most noticeable thing when it is flying is the bright, white blur of the white bands on its feelers and back legs as it darts about.


This wasp is native to New Zealand but it is also found in Australia and New Guinea.