About Ichneumon centrator Say, 1825
Ichneumon centrator Say, 1825 is an ichneumon wasp that reaches around 0.75 inches (19 mm) in length, and has four wings that are described as violet or blue. Males and females of this species have different appearances; females are more colorful. Females have a black body with a rust-colored head and thorax. Their antennae are mostly black, with a white or pale yellow section between the seventh and seventeenth joints. Their legs are black, except for the tibiae, which are dark yellow. Males of I. centrator have an entirely black body and pale yellow antennae, which makes them look strikingly similar to Gnamptopelta obsidianator, a much larger wasp in the same family. I. centrator has been recorded across North America, with most sightings concentrated in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. It has also been found in British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Oregon, and Texas. This species is most commonly encountered between March and August.
