Family Siricidae

Page last updated 10th Feb 2021

Steven Falk photos for family
Mike Hackston's ID key

Sirex noctilio, Wells (East Hills), Ben Lewis/Matt Stainthorpe

Genus Sirex

Sirex areolatus
Sawflies website; Steven Falk photos
No records in Norfolk to date.


Sirex juvencus
Sawflies website; Steven Falk photos

20th century records from Norwich, Merton and Sheringham, with more recent records from Blickling in 2005 and Hoe Rough in 2006. Thought not to be native in the UK, occurring as an occasional arrival with imported timber.


Sirex noctilio
Sawflies website; Steven Falk photos

Noted as 'not rare' from King's Lynn at start of 1900's, and later recorded from Salhouse, Brundall and Earlham. More recent records from Holt (2014), Holme (2015), Wells (2017), Haddiscoe (2019) and Aldborough (2020) so clearly still can occur widely.


Sirex torvus
Sawflies website; Steven Falk photos

20th century records from Ketteringham, East Dereham, Great Ryburgh, Cringleford and East Runton. No 21st century records yet.


Genus Tremex


Tremex columba
Sawflies website; Steven Falk photos
No records in Norfolk to date.



Genus Urocerus

Urocerus albicornis
Sawflies website; Steven Falk photos
No records in Norfolk to date.

Urocerus augur
Sawflies website; Steven Falk photos

First documented record for Norfolk was of a female that crash-landed into a garden pond in Shotesham in August 2020, in front of the county recorder.

Urocerus augur, Shotesham 2020

Urocerus californicus
Sawflies website; Steven Falk photos
No records in Norfolk to date.


Urocerus fantoma
Sawflies website; Steven Falk photos
No records in Norfolk to date.


Urocerus flavicornis
Sawflies website
No records in Norfolk to date.


Urocerus gigas
Sawflies website; Steven Falk photos

Flight period 3rd Jun to 12th Sep

This is a striking insect sometimes known as the Giant Horntail or Giant Woodwasp; it was regularly noted through the 20th century and is still being noted recently. The 19 records from 2001 onwards have been distributed widely across the county, although with surprisingly few from the Brecks to date.


Genus Xeris

Xeris spectrum
Sawflies website; Steven Falk photos

Just a single record, from Thetford in 1993.