Figure 41. Female Leucospis affinis wasp. Note the sheath of the ovipositor lying lengthwise across the top of her abdomen like a sword or needle. The wasp herself is just over 1/4″ long, but she can extend her ovipositor up to 3/4″ through solid wood to lay an egg inside a bee nest.
Black bee with yellow markings and ovipositor sheath on her back.

Matt Bertone