A wasp that was last seen in 1914 has been rediscovered by scientists.
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Not only is that good news for the species, but it’s also good news for trees: the wasp, Oobius depressus, is a natural enemy to the locust wood borer, a pest that attacks the black locust tree.
The rediscovery of the wasp came after scientists set traps in the canopy of black locust trees in Michigan from August to October 2015.
The locust borer has been known to be a pest to black locusts since the 1700s. They lay their eggs — between 100 to 200 — in late September in the crevices around openings in the trunk of the trees and each egg hatches between five to eight days. The grubs begin to bore into the inner bark and begin to feed until spring when the buds begin to form. They can produce a tunnel into the tree that extends between eight and 10 cm. This can create broken and dead trees, weakening them and even killing the tree outright.
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Though difficult to identify (the last specimens were found without heads or antennae), scientists were able to positively match it to the last remains and the description.
Black locust trees are found across Canada, mostly in southern Ontario. They’re not natural to Canada, but were introduced from the United States.
And the locust borer, which attacks only black locusts, has already been found in eastern Canada, so this rediscovery could be welcome news.
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