# Identify this insect

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/488623
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 7, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/488623 "2009-03-07T03:06:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![snailboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/97f17d/32.png) [@snailboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snailboy)
#### Post date: [March 7, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/488623/1 "2009-03-07T03:06:01Z")

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[This winged insect](http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/5057/dscf0636.jpg) found its way into my house while I was putting the dogs out. It looks like something between a wasp and a mayfly. I’ve been checking out [bugguide.net](http://bugguide.net) but can’t find anything that looks much like it. The picture isn’t great but my camera won’t do an extreme closeup. Hope it’s enough.

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### Author: ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [March 7, 2009, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/488623/2 "2009-03-07T03:10:01Z")

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It looks to me like an [ichneumon wasp](http://www.meades.org/photos_from_the_garden/ichneumon_wasp.jpg), aka ichneumon fly.

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### Author: ![snailboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/97f17d/32.png) [@snailboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snailboy)
#### Post date: [March 7, 2009, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-insect/488623/3 "2009-03-07T04:36:50Z")

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I think you’re right. It did have a hymenopteran-looking body. Next time I’ll try to find something more difficult.