Siricinae

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Siricidae
Subfamily: Siricinae

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Siricinae: //sɪˈrɪsɪniː//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Sirex cyaneus by Emma Wahlberg. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Sirex cyaneus female by Whitney Cranshaw. Used under a CC BY 3.0 us license.

Sirex nigricornis by Natasha Wright. Used under a CC BY 3.0 us license.

Sirex nigricornis female by Erich G. Vallery. Used under a CC BY 3.0 us license.

Horntail - possibly Sirex nigricornis, Hoffler Creek Preserve, Portsmouth, Virginia - 30765640325 by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Sirex nigricornis male lateral by Natasha Wright. Used under a CC BY 3.0 us license.

Summary

Siricinae is a subfamily of wood-eating sawflies known as horntails or wood wasps, characterized by their distinct morphology and life cycle involving wood-boring larvae. The family has significant ecological impacts, particularly in wood decay processes.

Physical Characteristics

Typical adults are brown, blue, or black with yellow or red parts, reaching up to 4 cm (1.6 in) long, with the pigeon horntail (Tremex columba) growing up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long (excluding ovipositor). Females have a longer ovipositor that projects posteriorly, and both sexes possess a stout, spine-like structure at the end of the abdomen.

Identification Tips

Look for the stout, spine-like structure at the end of the abdomen and the coloration variations (brown, blue, black, yellow, red). The presence of a long ovipositor in females can also aid in identification.

Habitat

Infest needle-leaved trees, particularly preference for dying or recently killed trees such as balsam fir and spruce.

Distribution

Holarctic distribution; more diverse in northern and western North America.

Diet

Larvae feed on wood, primarily from conifers.

Life Cycle

Life cycle usually requires two years, with adults typically in flight from late July to early September.

Reproduction

Females lay eggs in the wood of trees, where larvae bore tunnels and live until fully grown.

Predators

Ichneumon wasp (Rhyssa persuasoria) lays eggs in Sirex larvae, which then kill them.

Ecosystem Role

Play a role in wood decomposition and cycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Economic Impact

Rapid deterioration of wood caused by wood-rotting fungi in horntail tunnels can reduce timber salvage opportunities.

Evolution

Previously thought to be the only living representative of the superfamily Siricoidea, now linked with the family Anaxyelidae.

Misconceptions

Often misidentified as social wasps, though they are non-social and belong to a different taxonomic group.