Horntail Wasps
Siricidae
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Family: Siricidae
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Siricidae: /sɪˈrɪsɪdiː/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
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Summary
Horntails or wood wasps (family Siricidae) are non-social wood-eating insects characterized by their horn-like abdominal projections and wood-boring larvae. They play an important role in forest ecosystems but can also be serious pests of timber products.
Physical Characteristics
Adults vary from 1 to 5 cm in size; brown, blue, or black with yellow or red parts; males and females possess an abdominal projection (horn); females have a longer ovipositor.
Identification Tips
Color is useful in identification; typical adults may reach up to 4 cm long; males generally smaller than females; the presence of a stout, spine-like structure at the end of the abdomen.
Habitat
Forests of the Northern Hemisphere including areas south to Cuba, northern Central America, India, New Guinea, and North Africa.
Distribution
28 species in 5 genera in North America; approximately 120 species in 10 genera worldwide, with more than 2 species known from tropical Africa.
Diet
Larvae are wood-eating, requiring a symbiotic fungus (Cerrena unicolor) to digest wood.
Life Cycle
Typically develops in 1 to 3 years; larvae live within the wood and migrate to just under the bark before pupation.
Reproduction
Females lay eggs in trees; larvae bore into wood where they develop.
Predators
Ichneumonid wasps, especially Megarhyssa, some nematodes, and Ibalia.
Ecosystem Role
Play a role in wood decomposition as larvae infest and break down dead or dying trees.
Economic Impact
Some species are serious pests and can impact lumber quality by degrading the wood during infestation.
Health Concerns
Horntails do not sting; the ovipositor can be mistaken for a sting, but it is not used for defense.
Collecting Methods
- Traps can be used to capture adults during their flight period in sunny conditions.
- Boring into infested wood to extract larvae and pupae.
Preservation Methods
- Standard insect preservation in ethanol for larvae.
- Pinning adults for scientific study.
Evolution
Previously thought to be the sole living representative of the superfamily Siricoidea; the family has links to the extinct family Anaxyelidae.
Similar Taxa
Misconceptions
Often misidentified as typical wasps due to mimicry; their name suggests a relation to true wasps, but they belong to a different family.
Tags
- Siricidae
- horntail wasps
- wood wasps
- insect
- bore
- symbiotic fungus