1. Wood wasps / Horntails 1 to 1.5 inches long
D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Wood wasps / Horntails
Schiff et al. 2006
1 to 1.5 inches long
“Horn tail” and lack narrow “waist”
23 species in US and Canada
2 on hardwood, on softwood
19 native, 4 exotic

2. Which Insect is a Wood Wasp?
D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Which Insect is a Wood Wasp?
Insect A
Insect B
Insect C
N. Wright, FDACS, Bugwood.org
F. & K. Starr, U.S. GS, Bugwood.org
A – wood wasp (pigeon horntail, Tremex columba)
B – paper wasp
C – cicada
G. Alpert, Harvard Univ., Bugwood.org A B C

3. The Sirex Woodwasp ● 1 to 1.5 inches long
D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
The Sirex Woodwasp
K. E. Zylstra
K. E. Zylstra
The Female
The Male
● 1 to 1.5 inches long
● Dark metallic blue-black body
● Legs reddish-yellow, feet black
● Antennae entirely black
Similar to females, but…
● Middle portion of abdomen
orange
● Hind legs black

4. K. E. Zylstra

5. Which Insect is a Sirex Wood Wasp?
D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Which Insect is a Sirex Wood Wasp?
Insect A
Insect B
Insect C
F. & K. Starr, U.S. GS, Bugwood.org
N.Wright, FDACS, Bugwood.org
PDIL, Bugwood.org
A – Pigeon horntail (Tremex columba)
B – Sirex wood wasp
C – Longhorned beetle
PDIL, Bugwood.org
G. Alpert, Harvard Univ., Bugwood.org B A C

6. The Larva ● Creamy white ● Legless ● Dark spine at tip of abdomen
K. E. Zylstra
The Larva
K. E. Zylstra
● Creamy white
● Legless
● Dark spine at tip of abdomen

7. D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Siricids are commonly referred to as horntails because of their cornus on the posterior end
Currently, there is no morphological key for siricid larvae and a molecular key is being developed by the USFS.
K. E. Zylstra

8. Which Larva is a Wood Wasp?
D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Which Larva is a Wood Wasp?
Insect A
Insect B
Insect C
A – Wood wasp larva
B – Long horned beetle larvae
C – Emerald ash borer larva
D. Cappaert, MI State Univ., Bugwood.org
H. Pase III, Texas F.S., Bugwood.org
S. Kinelski, , Bugwood.org A B C

9. Finely packed frass in the tunnel
D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
K. E. Zylstra
When you cut through the tree sometimes you can see where you cut through a gallery
K. E. Zylstra
Finely packed frass in the tunnel

10. Larval Galleries
K. E. Zylstra

11. K. E. Zylstra
K. E. Zylstra
Larval galleries

12. Adult male chewing his way out…
D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Adult male chewing his way out…
K. E. Zylstra

13. Symptoms of Attack Resin beads Browning/thinning crown
D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Symptoms of Attack
Resin beads
Browning/thinning crown
Woodpecker damage
Exit holes
***The Sirex wood wasp can attack living trees, while native wood wasps attack dead or dying trees***

14. Resin Beads Look Different On Different Pine Species…
D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Resin Beads Look Different On Different Pine Species…
Red Pine
Scots Pine
White Pine
Resin beads
K. E. Zylstra

15. Infested Scots Pine K. E. Zylstra K. E. Zylstra
D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Infested Scots Pine
K. E. Zylstra
K. E. Zylstra

16. Infested Red Pine K. E. Zylstra K. E. Zylstra
D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Infested Red Pine
K. E. Zylstra
K. E. Zylstra

17. Infested White Pine K. E. Zylstra K. E. Zylstra
D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Infested White Pine
K. E. Zylstra
K. E. Zylstra

18. K. E. Zylstra
Exit Holes Perfectly circular, size ranging from 1/8 to 3/8 inch diameter
K. E. Zylstra

19. K. E. Zylstra

20. Which Damage is from a Wood Wasp?
D. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Which Damage is from a Wood Wasp?
Damage A
Damage B
Damage C
A – Wood wasp emergence holes
B – Pine bark beetle emergence holes (note small size)
C – Sap sucker damage (Note grid pattern of holes)
D. Haugen, U.S. F.S., Bugwood.org
J. Hodge, Univ. of Kentucky, Bugwood.org
R.. Billings, TX F.S., Bugwood.org A B C

21. K. E. Zylstra
K. E. Zylstra