Meet Aritranis director, a striking species of parasitic ichneumon wasp native to Europe. Famously introduced to North America in the early 20th century, this resilient traveler spread rapidly across the Atlantic. Like many in its family, this wasp is a specialized parasitoid; females use their down-curved ovipositors to deposit eggs directly inside the cocoons of moth caterpillars, where the developing larvae slowly consume their host from the inside out. Measuring up to 10 mm in length, they boast a bold color palette: a jet-black head and thorax, a vibrant orange-red abdomen, and a distinctive white band marking the very tip of the female’s tail. I crossed paths with this stunning female during a midday rest break on my cycling tour along the Swedish east coast. Photographing a creature this small while it was in constant motion proved to be an absolute test of macro precision. However, after countless attempts and a lot of patience, I finally walked away with a few nice frames.