125 



Superfamily SIRICOIDEA 

 Family SYNTEXIDAE 



Taxonomy: Benson, 1935. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 10, 16: 536. —Ross, 1937. 111. Biol. 

 Monog. 15(2): 110 (Syntectidae). — Klima, 1937. hi Hedicke, Hym. Cat., pt. 2, p. 53 

 (catalog). 



Genus SYNTEXIS Rohwer 



Syntexis Rohwer, 1915. Ent. Soc. Wash., Proc. 17: 115. 



Type-species: Syntexis libocedrii Rohwer. Orig. desig. 

 libocedrii Rohwer. Idaho (?), Oreg., Calif. Ecology: Larvae are wood borers. Host: Libocedrus 

 decurrens, Junipenis occidentalis, and Thuja plicata(?). 

 Syntexis libocedrii Rohwer, 1915. Ent. Soc. Wash., Proc. 17: 115. 9. 



Taxonomy: Middlekauff, 1964. Pan-Pacific Ent. 40: 257 (male, host, distribution). 

 -Middlekauff, 1975 (1974). Pan-Pacific Ent. 50: 288-290 (larva). 



Biology: Wickman, 1967. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 60: 1291-1294. — Westcott, 1971. Pan-Pacific 

 Ent. 47: 310 (hosts, distribution). 



Family SIRICIDAE 



Larvae of this family are wood borers, members of the Siricinae in coniferous trees and those 

 of the Tremicinae in angiosperm trees. The North American species are not known to attack 

 sound trees, only those that have been weakened or recently felled. Fire damaged trees are par- 

 ticularly attractive to adults for oviposition, and large populations may build up in recent burns. 

 The boring of the larvae reduces the quality of lumber and the emergence of the adults may 

 damage buildings where they may bore through plaster walls, carpeting, and hardwood floors to 

 exit. In Europe, Urocenis gigas gigas (L.) has been reported to cut through metal and lead 

 telephone cables. Because of their habits, some species have been spread by commerce to many 

 parts of the world, and it is not uncommon to find them out of their normal range. 



The family is cosmopolitan except perhaps for South America. About 85 species in 9 genera 

 are known from the world. The common names horntails or woodwasps are sometimes used for 

 this family. 



Revision: Bradley, 1913. Jour. Ent. and Zool. 5: 1-36 (N. Amer. species). —Benson, 1943. Bui. 

 Ent. Res. 34: 27-51 (world genera). —Middlekauff, 1960. CaHf. Ins. Survey, Bui. 6(4): 59-77 

 (Calif, species). 



Taxonomy: Johnson, 1928. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., Bui. 49: 2-7 (New England species). 

 —Hedicke, 1938. Hym. Cat., pt. 6, 32 pp. (world catalog). —Benson, 1938. Roy. Ent. Soc. 



