Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Ichneumonidaeae
Subfamily: Cryptinae
Genus: Xanthocryptus
Species: X. novozealandicus
Binomial name: Xanthocryptus novozealandicus
Common name: Lemon tree borer parasite
Xanthocryptus novozealandicus is a wasp in the family Ichneumonidae. It is a native insect of New Zealand. It is also found in Australia and New Guinea. Females hunt for larvae of wood-boring beetles around March, including the lemon tree borer (Oemona hirta), a native cerambycid that tunnels into citrus trees, grapes and many native species.
When a suitable host is found, the female pushes her ovipositor through the wood and injects her eggs into the grub. This has the incidental benefit of helping to control some pests.
They have a black and white body, with white stripes on the abdomen. Their long antennae are black with a white band in the middle. Legs are orange, black and white.
Female with her ovipositor
Female
Profile of a female.
Head of a female.
Male
Male
The underside of a male
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
