The male centrator has an all-black body with pale yellow antennae, therefore looking strikingly similar to Gnamptopelta obsidianator, a much larger wasp from the same family.

It carefully select its hibernation site – often under snug bark on fallen trees, preferring humid areas with stable temperatures.

In spring the female fertilizes its eggs and searches for the late-stage Isabella tiger moth larvae, which wake from hibernation around the same time as the wasps.

[5] Ichneumon centrator has been found throughout North America, with the majority of sightings being concentrated in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada.

The centrator wasp has also been found in places such as British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, and Oregon, as well as in Texas.