This strikingly beautiful wasp appeared as I worked in the garden, perhaps disturbed by my activity. I'm confident it is Pimpla rufipes, common in the autumn and fairly widespread. It doesn't have the enormously long ovipositor (pointy bit at the end of a female, for laying eggs) that some ichneumon wasps do. See my previous ichneumon post for a cracking example of that.
Great picture! How often do you see ichneumon wasps in your garden?
Not very often, to be honest. A couple a year probably, maximum.
What a good shot, the clarity is amazing.
Looks scary