Urocerus californicus

A variable species in its native Americas. Occasionally introduced but not thought to be established in Britain or Ireland. Generally, the female has an abdomen almost entirely black. The wings are yellow with yellow venation. The male is banded on the abdomen with light reddish-brown on segments 3 to 10.

Urocerus californicus larvae feed in the timber of coniferous trees especially pines.

Jump to other Urocerus species

Size: 12 - 40mm

Status: Not established, introduced

Distribution: Not recorded

Flight period: June to October

Plant associations: Pinaceae (1) including...

Abies concolor (Colorado white-fir) (3)
Abies lasiocarpa (subalpine fir) (3)
Larix occidentalis (western larch) (3)
Picea engelmannii (Engelmann spruce) (3)
Picea sitchensis (sitka spruce) (3)
Pinus contorta (lodgepole pine) (3)
Pinus ponderosa (western yellow-pine) (3)
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir) (3)
Tsuga heterophylla (western hemlock-spruce) (3)

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. 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.