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One of the most abundant families in the order Hymenoptera, these wasps possesses many unique characteristics that allow them to stand out. Each forewing lacks a costal cell, but has a horsehead cell towards the middle of the wing. The antenna is unusually long with 16 or more segments. Commonly recognized as slender wasps, the females have a long ovipositor that is often longer than the body. In addition to these traits, the ichneumon wasps also have two-segmented trochanters that allow for an easy identification. Many species of this family are internal parasitoids of the immature stages of the host, where they may complete their development.
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