Incense-cedar wood wasp
Syntexis libocedrii
This record describes Syntexis libocedrii (species). Recorded family: Anaxyelidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wikipedia reference for Syntexis libocedrii: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syntexis_libocedrii.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Family
- Anaxyelidae (Incense Cedar Wood Wasps)
- Genus
- Syntexis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
mountains of c. CA to s. BC, but is very rarely seen, except by firefighters.
Geographic Range
w. NA (so.BC-CA)
Diet and Behavior
Life History
has the remarkable behavior of ovipositing only in recently burnt incense-cedar (Calocedrus), red cedar (Thuja) or juniper (Juniperus); the wood is often still smoldering when the wasp is laying its eggs, and the larvae develop in the wood.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Syntexis libocedrii Rohwer
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Syntexis libocedrii. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Incense-cedar wood wasp (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Ken Wolgemuth