CLOSED: Long tailed wasp?

A very small critter with a tail that's longer than the body on a Butterfly bush leaf.
What is it?
Andy P

Another Ichneumon, probably one of the megarhyssa, but I can't find an all black one

http://bugguide.net/node/view/6933
"Another interesting wasp:-) Members of the family Gasteruptiidae are parasites of other wasps. This specimen is a female (note long ovipositor). The "neck" and swollen hind tibia ("shins"), identify these wasps. Genus is Gasteruption." from BugGuide

BTW, How ever in the world did you get that shot? Those things MOVE!

Thanks, Claypa. That's about as far as I get, too.
I assume it's a female with that long ovipositor, right?
Another pic
Andy P

Thanks CJ. I spent an hour on that site this morning and couldn't find that.
That sure looks like the one.
It was very still, I took a bunch of shots but only these 2 were any good. When it did fly away, it was kinda slow. It was warm enough (in the mid 60s) but it had been in the shade, could it have been cold?
Andy P

I really have a hard time with the wasp taxonomy. I guess there's no suborder??? And all the wasps are in different superfamilies and families. Didn't there used to be "Vespidae" ?

Probably. Maybe that's why I can never get a shot. Too warm here! LOL (That's my story and I'm sticking to it!)
I think I've asked you before, but what is your camera?

Edited to say: Oops. This is in reference to Andy's post....

This message was edited Sep 23, 2006 12:47 PM

CJ, it's a Fuji E500, a basic 4.1 MP with a nice built in macro setting.
Adobe PhotoShop helps a lot, too. LOL. I really like the 'unsharp mask' tool.
Andy P

claypa - Sure is.
http://eny3005.ifas.ufl.edu/lab1/Hymenoptera/Vespid.htm

Andy - I have the Fuji S7000 with 6MP and built in macro (and micromacro) setting, but I can't do that! And Adobe PhotoShop too. (Although I use only the elementary stuff - still haven't taken the time to learn about it - well, hey, the same holds true for my camera!) I have a problem with "shake" in my camera...I so desperately want one with antishake or a stabiizer. I think the more MP, the more difficulty with that. Used to have a little Canon with 3.1 that took the most amazing photos, but lost it off the hood of a car after I laid it down and forgot to pick it back up before the trip to the post office! Durn!! Have you tried the Picasa software? Free download, and it does a wonderful job of editing for someone like me, who doesn't get into layers, etc...

CJ, my low MB count might be a reason I generally don't need a tripod.
Here is how to use the 'unsharp mask', it's real easy.
In PhotoShop, select an image. Click on the 'filter' button in the top tool bar. Scroll down to 'sharpen' to open another window, click on the 'unsharp mask' tab.
Another window opens with a small section of your pic and 3 setting options below.
Set the Amount to 100 % +-
Set the Radius at 2.0
And the threshold at 1
Click OK.
You are done. 'Save as' in Jpg.
Just try the unsharp mask once, you will be hooked.
I don't post any pics without first running it through that. It's amazing.

I continue with my system to crop, sign and resize.
Crop it with the crop tool. You can twist it around here also to adjust the horizon line etc.
Re-size it with the 'Image' tab on the top tool bar, image size button. I like 800 by whatever. Click OK.
I also sign my shots right after cropping (The text tool in the side tool bar) but that adds an other step of 'merging' layers before you can re-size. This is done with the 'layers' tab on the top tool bar. I hate to post an unsigned pic.

Andy P

Thanks, ceejaytown.

Thanks, Andy! I've used the sharpen, but not the unsharpen tool! Crop and resize, too (especially for emails), but I didn't know about signing them. Layers are out of my range of knowledge!!!
I will play with your instructoins and see what I can do! I sure wish there was a live workshop I could take on both the Photoshop and my camera. This online textbook stuff just makes me crazy. I print something out, and then it just doesn't seem to do what it is supposed to do. Would love to learn layers, so I could move things around, change backgrounds, etc... Sigh.....

CJ, I am only scratching the surface of PS. The only layering I'm comfortable with is my signature (text), so far. I've read some tutorials and gotten lost within 2 sentences, lol.
It helps if you can have 2 internet windows open at the same time so you can refer to the instructions as you work.
I picked up the 'unsharp mask' right away, though. It really is easy.
Have fun.
Andy P