WANTED
European Wood Wasp
Scientific Name
Sirex Noctilio Fabricius Woodwasp
Description
- 15 to 36 mm long
- females are iron blue, and have orange legs and black antennae
- the male is black, except for the orange middle part of the abdomen
Habitat
- mostly lives in pine trees
- can endure a large variety of climates
- native to Europe, Asia, South Africa, and Australia
Problems they create
The wasps bury themselves into the pine trees and use them as a home for themselves and their larvae. The wasps are toxic to the trees and can kill them anywhere from 2 to 24 weeks. Almost 80% of pine trees are killed due to these wasps.
Steps to limit population
Different pesticides are being tested to halt the rapid population growth of the wasps but efforts seem to be futile. The best solution is to stop them as soon as possible once they are in the tree.