How does the Sirex woodwasp affect the ecosystem?
Sirex woodwasp has caused mortality of millions of North American pines planted In Southern Hemisphere forests, where Sirex Woodwasp (S. noctilio) is also an invasive species. Currently, Sirex woodwasp is estimated to cause between $16 and $60 million in annual damages per year in those forests.
How did the Sirex wasp get to Africa?
Native and introduced range The species has reached other continents, such as Australia, South Africa and North America, through the export of timber and firewood. While invasion was prevented in North America for a long time, the sirex woodwasp established itself in New Zealand around 1900.
How did the Sirex woodwasp get to Canada?
The sirex woodwasp (SWW; Sirex noctilio), native to Eurasia and Africa, was likely introduced to North America through wood packing material. The first detection of SWW was in the state of New York close to Lake Ontario in 2004 (Hoebeke et al., 2005). SWW was found in Canada in 2005 (de Groot et al., 2006).
Where in the world is Sirex woodwasp a problem?
The sirex woodwasp is native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa, where it is not considered a pest. However, it has caused damage to live trees in the Southern Hemisphere where it has been introduced.
Can wood wasp sting you?
Does a wood wasp sting? Although wood wasps are not aggressive; if you do get stung, it can be painful. Like bees, wood wasps have venomous stingers to protect themselves that cause pain when the insect strikes and injects its venom into your skin.
What is the relationship between the wasp and the fungus?
The wasp and fungus are mutually supportive. The fungus benefits by hitching a ride to new host trees, where it can spread and ultimately produce fruiting bodies – shelf mushrooms known as mossy maze polypore. The wasp depends on the fungus to complete its life cycle.
How do you prevent Sirex Woodwasp?
To control the spread of the Sirex Woodwasp, the USDA has instituted a quarantine on the trade of wood products in all but two counties in New York. Although this does constrict industries dependent on wood products, the quarantine will limit the spread of the invasive species.
Where is the European wood wasp from?
Sirex woodwasp (Sirex noctilio), also known as European woodwasp, is native to Eurasia and Northern Africa where it is typically a secondary pest of pine. In 2004, Sirex was first detected in the U.S., in Fulton New York, and was found the following summer in Ontario.
How do you control Sirex Woodwasp?
How big do wood wasps get?
There are several species of wood wasps, all belonging to the wasp family Siricidae. Adults are medium to large wasps, 1/2-1 1/2 inches (13-38 mm) long, and can be distinguished from common wasps by their thick waists (figs. 1-2). Identification is sometimes difficult due to the large range of the adult size.
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Where do Sirex woodwasp live?
The native habitat of the sirex woodwasp is the temperate Palearctic realm, ranging from Maghreb over Europe, Siberia, and Mongolia, to the Kamchatka Peninsula. They live in deep pine-rich forests. The species has reached other continents, such as Australia, South Africa and North America, through the export of timber and firewood.
Do Sirex woodwasp kill trees?
Unlike any other species of Siricidae, the sirex woodwasp can damage relatively healthy trees so heavily, they die back. However, the wasp mainly infests weakened trees; only when the population is high does the insect also attack intact and healthy trees.
Is the Sirex Wasp an invasive species?
Through wood export, the wasp can spread to East Asia, West Australia and parts of Africa. Remote locations, such as the Horn of Africa, may be spared from the Sirex woodwasp, providing the area is controlled. The Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) of the IUCN has graded the wasp as heavily invasive.