Stem-sawflies
Guides
Cephidae
Stem Sawflies
Cephidae is a family of stem sawflies in the order Hymenoptera, comprising approximately 27 genera and over 160 described species. Most species occur in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in Eurasia. Larvae are endophagous stem borers in various plants, especially grasses and cereal grains, with several species being significant agricultural pests including Cephus cinctus on wheat and Janus rufiventris on corn. Adults are exceptionally slender for symphytans and often resemble other insects.
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.
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.