Cream-spotted Ichneumon

Echthromorpha intricatoria · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Ichneumonidae

Harmless. The cream-spotted ichneumon cannot sting and poses no danger to people.

Source: Wikipedia

Cream-spotted Ichneumon
Photo: Possums' End, CC BY

This wasp has a black body with creamy plates on the sides of its abdomen and orange antennae and legs. Females lay eggs inside the pupae of butterflies and moths, especially those in the admiral family.

Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize it

The insect’s body is mainly black with creamy patches on the abdomen’s sides. Its antennae and legs are orange in colour.

Source: Wikipedia

Size

Its clear wings span about three centimetres (roughly 1.2 inches).

Source: Wikipedia

Where it lives

It is a common wasp found throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Wikipedia

What it eats

The female injects eggs into the pupae of moths and butterflies, preferring members of the Nymphalidae family.

Source: Wikipedia

Life cycle

Eggs are laid inside butterfly and moth pupae, where the developing larvae consume the host.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it comes from

Its natural range includes Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Wikipedia

More photos

Cream-spotted Ichneumon photo 2
Photo: Shaun Lee, CC BY
Cream-spotted Ichneumon photo 3
Photo: rcrofts, CC BY
Cream-spotted Ichneumon photo 4
Photo: iNaturalist user, CC0
Cream-spotted Ichneumon photo 5
Photo: Kerri-Lee Harris, CC BY

Questions people ask

Do they sting?

No, this wasp cannot sting and is harmless to people.

Source: Wikipedia

What do they feed on?

Females lay eggs in the pupae of butterflies and moths, especially admiral butterflies.

Source: Wikipedia

Where are they found?

They are common in Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Wikipedia

Same family (Ichneumonidae)

Long-tailed Giant Ichneumonid WaspLong-tailed Giant Ichneumonid WaspMegarhyssa macruraHarmlessCommon Hover Fly Parasitoid WaspCommon Hover Fly Parasitoid WaspDiplazon laetatoriusToothed Tiger IchneumonToothed Tiger IchneumonAmblyteles armatoriusOrchid Dupe WaspOrchid Dupe WaspLissopimpla excelsaBlack Giant Ichneumonid WaspBlack Giant Ichneumonid WaspMegarhyssa atrataGreene's Giant Ichneumonid WaspGreene's Giant Ichneumonid WaspMegarhyssa greenei

Sources

  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echthromorpha_intricatoria

Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia

Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.

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