Tremex columba (Linnaeus), 1763

John M. Leavengood, Jr. & Smith, Trevor Randall, 2013, The Siricidae (Hymenoptera: Symphyta) of Florida, Insecta Mundi 2013 (309), pp. 1-16 : 7-10

Tremex columba (Linnaeus), 1763

( Fig. 10-13 )

Diagnosis. Males and females have antennae with 14-15 brown segments (often paler basally and apically), two-segmented labial palpi, metatibia with only one apical spur, and wings with crossveins C 1 and 2 RM absent and cell 2A of forewing with base of 3A present. Females typically have yellow-banded abdominal segments and yellow heads. It is distinguished from Eriotremex formosanus by the lack of long golden hairs clothing the body and having significantly fewer antennomeres.

Bradley (1913) offered a key to the races of T. columba .

Natural history. The known hosts of T. columba include Acer saccharum Marsh. (Aceraceae) , Ulmus spp. (Ulmaceae) , Quercus spp. , Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. (Fagaceae) , Carya spp. (Juglandaceae) , Celtis laevigata Willd. (Celtidaceae) , Carpinus sp. (Betulaceae) , apple, beech, birch, box elder, hackberry, maple, pear, poplar and sycamore ( Middlekauff 1960; Smith and Schiff 2002; Schiff et al. 2006).

Tremex columba is known to harbor the fungal symbiont Cerrena (Daedalea) unicolor Bull. ex Fries which is associated with every stage of female development ( Smith and Schiff 2002). Ibalia maculipennis Haldeman , Ibalia anceps Say ( Hymenoptera : Ibaliidae ), Megarhyssa atrata (Fabricius) , Megarhyssa greenei greenei Viereck and Megarhyssa macrurus macrurus (Linnaeus) ( Hymenoptera : Ichneumonidae ) have been recorded as parasites of this species ( Middlekauff 1960; Smith and Schiff 2002).

Adults have been collected from February to November. One FSCA specimen label read “ex. orange tree.” Another was collected from a frontalin and turpentine-baited Lindgren funnel trap. Several specimens were collected at UV lights.

Distribution. Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware (new state record), District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma (new state record), Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina (new state record), Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Canada and Mexico ( Bradley 1913; Middlekauff 1960; Stange 1996; Smith and Schiff 2002; Schiff et al. 2006, 2012). Specimens have also been collected from elm timber in New Zealand ( Morgan 1968). In Florida specimens have been collected in Alachua, Leon, Marion, Miami-Dade, Orange and Pinellas Counties.

Specimens. USA: Colorado: Denver County: Denver , 19-VIII-1969 ( FSCA; 1) ; Jefferson County: south end of Route 121, Martin Marietta Plant , 16-IX-1992, L.R. Davis, Jr. ( FSCA; 18) ; Delaware: Kent County: Woodland Beach , 3-VIII-1972, J.T. Hance ( FSCA; 1) ; Florida: Alachua County: 1 mile southeast of I-75, on FL 23-A, 18-V-1972, T. Neal ( FSCA; 1) ; 2 miles north of Gainesville , ramp trap, 12-VI-1975, H. Davis ( FSCA; 1) ; Foltz’s backyard, frontalin/ turpentine Lindgren funnel trap, 8-XI-1999, J.L. Foltz ( JLFC; 1) ; Gainesville , 18-X-1964, 10-XI-1964, G. Rankin ( FSCA; 4) ; Gainesville , 9-XI-1975, D.M. LaBella ( FSCA; 1) ; Gainesville , 9-V-1981, T. Wolfe ( JLFC; 1) ; Gainesville, Doyle Conner Building , blacklight trap, 2-XI- 1975, F.W. Mead ( FSCA; 1) ; Gainesville, University of Florida, Natural Area Teaching Lab, Surge / Natural Area Drive, 1-XI-1995, J.L. Foltz ( JLFC; 1) ; Leon County: Tallahassee , blacklight trap, 22-X-1975, E. Curlee ( FSCA; 1) ; Marion County: Citra, ex. Orange tree, 22-XI-1946, J.C. Bell ( FSCA; 1) ; Miami-Dade County: Miami, University of Miami , 26-IX-1978 ( FSCA; 1) ; Orange County: Walt Disney World , CDC Trap /CO2 gas, 16-II-1996, Z. Prusak ( FSCA; 1) ; Pinellas County: Dunedin , 12-V-1985, L.C. Dow ( FSCA; 1) ; Saint Petersburg , 25-VI-1995, C. Smith ( JLFC; 1) ; [county unknown] Florida Agricultural Exp. Station , 25-IV-1928, A.N. Tissot ( FSCA; 1) ; Georgia: Fulton County: Atlanta , 2-VIII-1947, 22-VIII-1947, F.W. Fattig ( FSCA; 2) ; Illinois: Champaign County: Urbana ( FSCA; 1) ; Indiana: Brown County: north of Belmont , blacklight trap, 18-VIII-1984, C.W. Hagen, Jr. ( FSCA; 1) ; north of Belmont , blacklight trap, 28-VIII-1984, C.W. Hagen, Jr. ( FSCA; 1) ; Knox County: Vincennes , 24-VII-1978, M. Minno ( FSCA; 1) ; Monroe County: Bloomington , 22-X-1974, J. Crider ( FSCA; 1) ; [county unknown] Ames , 23-IX-1891, ( FSCA; 1) ; Kansas: Atchison County: Atchison , 15-X-1957, J.W. McReynolds ( FSCA; 1) ; Douglas County: 3/ 4 miles west of Lawrence , 15-IX-1963, H.L. Willis ( FSCA; 1) ; Douglas County: near Lawrence , 30-IX- 1966, an entomology class ( FSCA; 1) ; Riley Pottawatomie County: Manhattan , X-1954, V.E. Adler ( FSCA; 1) ; Kentucky: Lyon County: Golden Pond , VII-1964, M.A. Tidwell ( FSCA; 1) ; Louisiana: West Feliciana Parish: 2 miles northeast of Tunica , 1-XI-1964, G.N. Ross ( FSCA; 1) ; Maine: Penobscot County: Orono , 25-VI-1965, P.V. Perkins ( FSCA; 1) ; Maryland: Anne Arundel County: Edgewater , blacklight, 16-IX- 1991, C.L. Staines ( FSCA; 1) ; Missouri: Blanco County: Columbia , 27-IX-1966, S. Poe ( FSCA; 2) ; Columbia , 18-VII-1966, J.C. Peters ( FSCA; 1) ; Jackson County: Independence , 1969, R.L. Heitzman ( FSCA; 1) ; Wayne County: Sam A. Baker State Park , Ozark Plateau Flora , 26-VI-1986, H.M. Webber ( FSCA; 1) ; New Jersey: Bergen County: Ramsey , 7-VIII-1936, E.J. Gerberg ( FSCA; 1) ; Middlesex County: New Brunswick , Malaise Trap, 29-IX-1953, W. E. Collins ( UCFC; 1) ; Metuchen, Brother’ Pond , 9-VII-1961, C.C. Porter ( FSCA; 1) ; New York: Albany County: Albany , 26-VI-1941, E.J. Gerberg ( FSCA; 1) ; North Carolina: Swain County: Great Smoky Mountains National Park , old field, 4-VII-2004, G. Steck, B. Sutton & Super ( UCFC; 2) ; Wake County: Falls , 1-XI-1971, M.A. Tidwell ( FSCA; 1) ; Ohio: Butler County: Oxford, Main Street , 26-XI-1979, K. Manley ( FSCA; 1) ; Champaign County: Westville , on Celtis occidentalis L., 6-VII-1962, R.E. Woodruff ( FSCA; 1) ; Coshocton County: Cavallo , 10-VIII-1942 ( FSCA; 1) ; Fairfield County: 1-X-1950, H.V. Weems, Jr. ( FSCA; 1) ; Franklin County: Columbus , VII-1951, 26-VIII-1952, 9-IX- 1952, F.W. Mead ( FSCA; 5) ; 18-X-1950, H.V. Weems, Jr. ( FSCA; 1) ; Knox County: 1-X-1942, H.F. Stohecker ( FSCA; 1) ; Oklahoma: Latimer County: 5 miles west of Red Oak , 28-V-1977, 4-VI-1977, K. Stephan ( FSCA; 2) ; VII-1987, X-1985, X-1988, XI-1982, XI-1987, K. Stephan ( FSCA; 9) ; Pennsylvania: Berks County: Douglasville , 8-VII-1983, F.W. Skillman, Jr. ( FSCA; 1) ; Delaware County: Wallingford , 13-VII- 1962, F.W. Skillman, Jr. ( FSCA; 1) ; Fulton County: 2 miles north of Cowan’s Gap State Park , 11-VII- 1988, E. Giesbert ( FSCA; 1) ; South Carolina: Chas’n. Hts. , 13-X-1970, D.R. Estes ( FSCA; 1) ; Tennessee: Benton County: 13-VII-1950, T.J. Walker, Jr. ( FSCA; 1) ; Blount County: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cades Cove , old field, gallery forest edge, Malaise Trap, 28-VIII-2003, G. Steck and B. Sutton ( UCFC; 1) Texas: Blanco County: Johnson City , 20-V-1970, G.N. Ross ( FSCA; 1) ; Crosby County: White River Lake , 1-X-1990, J. Huether ( FSCA; 1) ; Lubbock County: Lubbock , on oak tree, X-1986, J.C. Cokendolpher ( FSCA; 1) ; Uvalde County: Garner State Park , 18-VI-1968, G.H. Nelson ( FSCA; 1) ; Wisconsin: Grant County: Platteville , 5-X-1970 ( FSCA; 1) .

Sirex areolatus (Cresson), 1867 , the Western horntail ( Middlekauff 1960)

( Fig. 14-16 )

Diagnosis. Females of S. areolatus have a bluish-black body and legs and an ovipositor which is longer than the forewing. The length of the ovipositor distinguishes it from other Florida species and all other North American Sirex except for Sirex longicauda Middlekauff , which differs by having a slightly basally constricted cornus, red tibiae and tarsi, and a longer ovipositor. The males have entirely bluish-black legs, clear-hyaline wings with a black stigma, and abdominal segments II-VII orange (basal and apical segments bluish-black). The black on the abdominal apex may be restricted to the dorsal or ventral abdomen. Males of S. nigricornis , S. behrensii (Cresson) , and S. cyaneus Fabricius have only the basal most abdominal segments black and have reddish or red and black legs. Males of S. edwardsii Brulle , S. longicauda , S. varipes Walker , S. juvencus (Linnaeus) , and S. noctilio have similar abdominal coloration, but their legs have variable red coloration. Bradley (1913) differentiated the races of S. areolatus .

Natural history. The known hosts of S. areolatus include Libocedrus decurrens (Torr.) Florin , Juniperus occidentalis Hook. , Juniperus scopulorum Sarg. , Thuja sp. , Cupressus macrocarpa (Hartw.) (Cupressaceae) , Pinus contorta Dougl. , Pinus jeffreyi (Murray) , Pinus lambertiana Dougl. , Pinus radiata Don , Pseudotsuga taxifolia Britton , Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco (Pinaceae) , Taxodium distichum (Linnaeus) Rich. , and Sequoia sempervirens (Lamb. ex D. Don) Endl. (Taxodiaceae) ( Middlekauff 1960; Stange 1996; Smith and Schiff 2002). Smith and Schiff (2002) suggested that it may have established itself in the eastern states in baldcypress.

Ibalia ensiger Norton ( Hymenoptera : Ibaliidae ) has been reared from S. areolatus ( Middlekauff 1960) .

Adults of S. areolatus have been collected in the wild (i.e., not reared) from June to December in Florida. All but two of the Florida specimens were collected in Lindgren funnel traps baited with alphabeta pinene, ethanol, or frontalin and turpentine. The other two emerged from the walls of residences, one of which was collected after it emerged through a plastered wall from fir lumber. Discussing these specimens, Smith and Schiff (2002) described S. areolatus as adventive in the eastern United States.

Distribution. Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Canada, Honduras and Europe ( Bradley 1913; Middlekauff 1960; Morgan 1968; Stange 1996; Smith and Schiff 2002; Schiff et al. 2006, 2012). A specimen from Kauai, Hawaii was collected after it emerged from a “cedar wall” ( Smith and Schiff 2002). In Florida specimens have been collected in Alachua, Collier, Duval, Leon, Orange and Santa Rosa Counties. Schiff et al. (2012) indicated that two Florida records are outside the normal distribution and are adventives. However, our presented data (below) indicate that, while perhaps new to Florida as of the last half century, it is not limited to incidental interceptions.

Previously, Stange (1996) had recorded S. areolatus from Florida based on a single emergence record from imported wood in Collier County in 1963. Today, S. areolatus is established in Florida (based on numerous natural collections during the SWPM, CAPS, and JLFC surveys).

Specimens. USA: California: El Dorado County: 3 miles southwest of Somerset , VII-1978, R.R. Wharton ( FSCA; 1) ; Ice House Rd, 3 miles north of Riverton , on pine, 22-X-1965, C.W. O’Brien ( FSCA; 4) ; Los Angeles County: Azusa , 17-VII-1950, D.R. Estes ( FSCA; 1) ; Palos Verdes , 27-IX-1963, D.R. Estes ( FSCA; 1) ; Florida: Alachua County: Foltz’s backyard, frontalin/ turpentine Lindgren funnel trap, 22-XI-1999, J.L. Foltz ( JLFC; 1) ; Gainesville , frontalin/ turpentine Lindgren funnel trap, 17-XI-1994, J.L. Foltz & L. Pirozzoli ( JLFC; 3) ; Gainesville, University of Florida, Natural Area Teaching Lab, Surge / Natural Area Drive, frontalin/ turpentine Lindgren funnel trap, 9-X-1997, D. Yow ( JLFC; 1) ; Collier County: Naples , emerged from plastered wall over fir from western US, IV-1962, H.V. Weems, Jr. ( FSCA; 1) ; Duval County: Jacksonville, east of New Berlin Road , alpha-beta pinene-baited Lindgren funnel trap, 20-XII-2006, A. Silagyi ( CAPS; 5) ; Jacksonville, on Dames Point Drive , alpha-beta pinene-baited Lindgren funnel trap, 29-XI-2006, A. Silagyi ( CAPS; 1) ; Jacksonville, on Yellow Bluff Road , ethanol-baited Lindgren funnel trap, 20-XII-2006, A. Silagyi ( CAPS; 1) ; Leon County: Tallahassee, 4.8 miles south of Capitol Circle , on CR 373, ethanol-baited Lindgren funnel trap, 7-XII-2006, M. Bentley ( CAPS; 1) ; Orange County: Orlando , emerged from living room wall, 15-IX-1964, J.S. Flood ( FSCA; 1 in vial with alcohol) ; Santa Rosa County: Gulf Breeze, Gulf Islands National Seashore on Gulf Breeze Parkway , alpha-beta pinene-baited Lindgren funnel trap, 15-XII-2006, C. Street ( CAPS; 1) .

Figures

Figures 7-13. 7-9) Eriotremex formosanus female. 7) Dorsal habitus. 8) Wings. 9) Lateral habitus. 10-13) Tremex columba. 10) Dorsal habitus, male. 11) Lateral habitus, male. 12) Lateral habitus, female. 13) Wings, female.

Figures 14-21. 14-16) Sirex areolatus female. 14) Lateral habitus. 15) Dorsolateral habitus. 16) Wings. 17-19) Sirex nigricornis female. 17) Lateral habitus. 18) Dorsolateral habitus. 19) Wings. 20-21) Sirex nigricornis male. 20) Dorsal habitus. 21) Lateral habitus.