You are most welcome. This is the only place anyone I know cares or remotely understands this stuff. Helps keep the brain cells active. We all gain.

I went back for a few more looks. I am convinced that I may(but not probably) see a more interesting shot but it cannot be more perfect in my eyes. Top to bottom and left to right in focus. Again, well done.

I was a carpenter for my daily bread. If you get to level and keep going, are you more level? Your photos are excellent. I think you solved a puzzle for me. The main host of this parisitic wasp are horntail wasp larva(q.v.). They penetrate up to three inches of wood to ovipositor in(as was said) the tunnel of the host. I wondered how. The device has three parts. Two parts are independently moveable boring devices. These drill the holes. The ovipositor is a hairlike tube then inserted through the boring tubes to lay an egg. The whole thing uses hydro-logic pressure to work, thus that 'bubble' at top. I have a specimen of the black and yellow Megarhyssa that is nearly seven inches antenna to end of ovipositor. The larger of the two compared to M. macurus macurus. NOW, how to find them. Late June on use binoculars to watch at large limb to trunk junctions on large hardwood trees. That is where they are, where the host is. I next used a climbing deer stand in an ajacent tree. I netted from there. They are on top of the large limb. Look and you will see 1/4 inch emergent holes. This is where females will meet males, mate, and oviposit.
Now why the Icnnemons are a good thing. The prey is a horntail wasp. Pigeon tremex being one of them. They emerge on the upper side of large limbs at the tree juncture. So what?. The emergence holes allow fungal organisms to get into the tree. Years tater a sound looking limb falls on your house, rotten on the inside and cannot support it's own weight.
I know this was lengthy. I have never been short winded. BUT. I hope you enjoy the info.
PS, did I mention well shot?

Oh my Lord . That is a felony.😀
Bill

A pretty sure way(maybe not the best) of telling a male wasp or bee from a female is grab it. And no, I would not say useless, just a small niche.
From about fifteen on I was very interested in female human anatomy.
Did a study of the diversity of body styles. Only PhD thesis to get an x rating since Masters and Johnson, or so I heard.
Have a good evening.
Bill

And a "little"one may be the male. Little meaning a young one, no.
Bill
One last thing. Simply google 'natural predators for mealybugs'

Come spring buy lacewing eggs and ladybugs live on line. They can cohabitate(not eat each other) and will do a good job of control. Being 'perenial' they will be back next year. Practical entomology.
Bill

Have seen this behavior in others. Unused shelf body had holes for shelves full of mud from smaller ones. Even in an Allen screw hole. Nicely done.

I took the step. Signed up in BugGuide.
Bill

What you just saw is the way this works. Without resort to acrimony, you disagree , but you should give a reason for your disagreeing. After a few false starts, Mark got to family with my help(I think, glad to) and got the answer.
Scientific process. Conjecture not guess.
Bill. PS collectively, in my short time here, there has only been one that I ever saw not ID'ed. Virtue in numbers.

????? All this over a 3/8 inch bug? We must be buggy.
If not scolopax, one of other four species? My library lacks much to be desired. Downsized. There are a few yet to weigh in on this. Let us hope.
Bill

In download the strands look more branched than individual strands. But they sure look like lacewing eggs.
Bill

Except no raptoral front legs.
Bill

Closest I find is Mozena obtusa. BUT that is a stab.
Bill

And the picture I am trying to send.

(Download)