HYMENOPTERA > APOCRITA | Parasitica > Ichneumonidae > Ophioninae

Although the previous species, Ophion obscuratus has been regularly referred to as the 'Winter Ophion', there has  been speculation for quite a while now that the different generations are actually different species. That thinking has now been confirmed with current descriptions making specific reference to the time of year and, as a second check, the number of antennal flagellomeres.

The individual featured here was photographed at the end of February and was initially deemed to be Ophion variegatus, as Ophion obscuratus is now known to be an autumn to early winter species - peaking in October and remaining on the wing no later than the end of January. Yet, while that may well be correct, Ophion variegatus is said to be a spring to early summer species, indicating that there could well be another generation that separates the two.

The long-awaited, still to be published 'field guide' to these species is, at the time of writing, suggesting that there are actually four defined species, albeit two of these are currently unnamed. One is smaller and rare, but the other is considered common and recognised as the late winter species that peaks in February.

At present, I've left this one as Ophion variegatus but, in accordance with the above, it could very well be the currently unnamed February species. The latest descriptions (Johansson & Cederberg - 2019) provide more information including the typical number of flagellar segments that you'd expect to find, which is given as between 53-65 for Ophion variegatus compared with 62-66 in Ophion obscuratus. The former makes sense and works for the specimen featured here, but I'm somewhat confused about Ophion obscuratus as I'd previously been told up to 60 for that species.