Found this interesting little insect on the reserve last weekend. So far, I have found no ID for this little insect. I would be very grateful for any information about this creature.
Hi, it looks like a type of parasitic wasp.
Possibly a Soldier Beetle.
I sort of agree but I did not think they had the claspers this one appears to have at the rear end. Still cannot find anything like it on the internet.
My best guess is it's a ichneumonid (sometimes called ichneumon wasps) and possibly belonging to the sub-family Ophioninae. If so, they parasitise caterpillars and there are 2100 species in the UK. Gooogle "Ophioninae" images for similar examples.
Many thanks JimD. Certainly the best likeness to the photo I took.