Virgichneumon maculicauda is a black Ichneumon wasp of the tribe Ichneumonini. It has prominent ivory tail spots and an ivory scutellum otherwise the body is black and it has predominantly red/orange legs with some darkening apically. Females have broad white antennal bands whereas the males have all black antennae. The ivory tail spots are on tergites 5 - 7 in females and 6 - 7 in males but sometimes the apex of T5 is also marked. 

Body length ~ 9 - 10 mm

• Ivory scutellum
• Ivory tail spot T5 - T7 in females T6 - T7 in males (T5 may also be marked)
• Black body and antennae with females having a white band centrally
• Red/orange legs darkenening may be present apically

Identification advice should be sought from British Ichneumonoidea Facebook

We recommend that records of this species are verified by an expert before submitting to NatureSpot

Damp grassy areas, river valleys and marshes

Flight period May - September peak in July when host caterpillars are most active.

Females parisitises the caterpillars of Callimorpha jacobaeae (Cinnabar Moth) and the resulting larva, having consumed the caterpillar, pupate and then emerge as adults.

Fairly common and widespread but underrecorded