Cephidae
Guides
Calameuta
Calameuta is a genus of stem sawflies (family Cephidae) established by Friedrich Wilhelm Konow in 1896. The genus comprises approximately 14 described species distributed across Europe and North America. Members of this genus are associated with grasses and sedges, reflecting the family-wide ecological pattern of Cephidae. The genus is taxonomically stable and well-represented in entomological collections.
Cephini
Cephini is a tribe of stem sawflies within the family Cephidae, characterized by cylindrical, elongated bodies and larvae that bore into the stems of grasses and sedges. Members of this tribe are distinguished from related groups by their reduced wing venation and the presence of a distinct, elongated ovipositor in females. The tribe includes economically significant pests such as the wheat stem sawfly.
Cephus pygmaeus
European wheat stem sawfly, wheat stem sawfly
Cephus pygmaeus is a stem sawfly in the family Cephidae, widely distributed across Europe, western Asia, and North Africa, with introduced populations in North America. Adults are small, wasp-like insects that emerge in early spring and are active during wheat stem elongation. Larvae develop inside wheat stems, causing significant agricultural damage by tunneling and cutting stems. The species is a major pest of wheat and other cereal crops, with infestations reaching over 50% in some regions.
Collyria
Collyria is a genus of ichneumonid wasps in the subfamily Collyriinae. Species within this genus are specialized parasitoids of stem sawflies (Cephidae), particularly those infesting cereal crops such as wheat. The genus includes species that have been investigated and employed as biological control agents against wheat stem sawfly pests in North America and Europe. Members exhibit phenological synchrony with their hosts, with adults typically emerging earlier than host sawflies, and demonstrate complex host discrimination behaviors including variable superparasitism rates.
Collyriinae
Collyriinae is a subfamily of ichneumonid wasps (Ichneumonidae, Hymenoptera) known primarily as parasitoids of stem-sawflies (Cephidae). The subfamily includes genera such as Collyria and Bicurta. Species within this group have been documented as parasitoids of economically important stem-boring sawflies, with potential applications in biological control. Host records indicate specialization on Cephidae, though detailed biological information remains limited for many taxa.
Hartigiini
Hartigiini is a tribe of stem sawflies in the family Cephidae. Members are characterized by their elongated, cylindrical bodies and reduced wing venation relative to other sawflies. The tribe contains several genera distributed primarily in the Holarctic region. These insects are associated with woody plants, where larvae develop internally in stems.
Janus
Janus is a genus of stem sawflies in the family Cephidae, established by Stephens in 1829. These insects belong to the suborder Symphyta, the primitive sawflies that lack the narrow waist characteristic of most other Hymenoptera. The genus name Janus refers to the Roman two-faced god, though the specific morphological basis for this naming in the context of these insects is not documented in available sources. Members of this genus are part of a small family of herbivorous insects whose larvae bore into plant stems.
Janus integer
currant stem girdler
Janus integer, commonly known as the currant stem girdler, is a species of stem sawfly in the family Cephidae native to North America. As a member of the Cephidae, it belongs to a family of sawflies characterized by their cylindrical, elongated bodies and larvae that bore into plant stems. The common name indicates a specific association with currant plants (Ribes species), where larvae likely cause damage by girdling stems. The species has been documented across multiple Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Newfoundland.
Phylloecus
Phylloecus is a genus of stem sawflies in the family Cephidae, first described by Edward Newman in 1838. The genus was reclassified in 2014 when Hartigia was synonymized with Phylloecus. Members of this genus are distributed across the Holarctic region, with species recorded from Europe, Asia, and North America. The genus contains approximately 30 described species.
Phylloecus trimaculatus
Rose Shoot Sawfly
Phylloecus trimaculatus, commonly known as the rose shoot sawfly, is a stem sawfly in the family Cephidae. Adults emerge in late April and oviposit inside the stems of Rosa and Rubus species. Larvae feed within host stems throughout the summer before dropping to the ground to overwinter. The species occurs from southern Canada through the eastern United States to the Great Plains.
Trachelus tabidus
Black Wheat Stem-sawfly
Trachelus tabidus is a stem-sawfly in the family Cephidae, commonly known as the Black Wheat Stem-sawfly. It is an agricultural pest of cereal crops, particularly wheat. The larvae bore inside stems, causing lodging and yield loss. It has been documented in North America and Europe, including the Azores.