Tremex columba

Introduced from USA in imported timber but not known to be established. The antennae of Tremex species are short by comparison to other Sirid wood wasps. There is some variation in colour within this species. Females are varying degrees of brown on the abdomen with yellow across the bases of the tergites giving a striped appearance. The tibia and tarsae are yellowish with darker femora. Males are more uniformly brown to orange-brown with hind legs that are dark but ringed with yellow on the tibia and femora.

Tremex columba larvae feed inside timber of dead and dying deciduous hardwoods. Larval development lasts 2 or 3 years and may pass through 11 instars.

Jump to other Siricidae species

Size: 20 - 30mm

Status: Introduced, not established.

Distribution: England, Scotland

Flight period: June to October

Plant associations: Hardwoods including...

Fagus spp. (beeches) (4)
Ulmus spp. (elms) (1)
Ulmus thomasii (rock elm) (1)
Ulmus glabra (wych elm) (4)
Acer spp. (maples) (1)
Acer rubrum (red maple) (4)
Acer negundo (ashleaf maple)
Acer saccharum (sugar maple)
Quercus spp. (oaks) (1)
Carpinus spp. (hornbeams) (4)
Robinia spp. (black locust) (4)
Carya spp. (hickories) (4)
Fraxinus spp. (ashes) (4)
Platanus occidentalis (American plane) (4)
Malus spp. (apples) (4)
Pyrus spp. (pears) (4)
Populus spp. (poplars) (4)
Salix spp. (willows) (4)

The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)

References:

1. Benson, R.B., 1952. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Vol 6, Section 2(a-c), Royal Entomological Society, London

2. Liston A, Knight G, Sheppard D, Broad G, Livermore L (2014) Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Sawflies, ‘Symphyta’. Biodiversity Data Journal 2: e1168. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.2.e1168

3. Liston, A. D. 1995: Compendium of European Sawflies. List of species, modern nomenclature, distribution, foodplants, identification literature. - Gottfrieding, Chalastos Forestry : 1-190

4. Schiff, N.M., Goulet, H., Smith, D.R., Boudreault, C., Wilson, A.D. and Scheffler, B.E., 2012. Siricidae (Hymenoptera: Symphyta: Siricoidea) of the western hemisphere. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification 21: 1-305, 21, pp.1-305.