Arch's Hornet / Archachyl Muyuuz Kuyruk / Juniper Horntail

Juniper Horntail

Status: Category III (LR-nt). A naturally rare species with a tendency to habitat reduction. It is significant as an object for zoogeographical research and in the aspect of preserving the regional gene pool, one of four representatives of the family in the fauna of the republic [11]. The downgrade of U. sah to the rank of subspecies U. augur (Klug, 1803) by some specialists appears biologically unfounded.

Brief description of the adult appearance. A large, sitting-bellied wasp typical of the horntail family. The body length of the female without the ovipositor reaches 20-40 mm, the ovipositor is slightly longer than the abdomen without the appendage, and the wingspan is 40-52 mm. The body is black, the first two segments are entirely, the 8th segment, except for the rear edge, and the tip of the last segment along with the appendage are yellow or reddish-yellow. Antennae and legs are reddish-yellow, wings are reddish-yellow. The male is one and a half times smaller, also black, the middle of the abdomen is yellow-brown, the antennae are blackish, and the wings are grayish-darkened without a yellow tint.

General distribution and in the country. Atlas Mountains, Asia Minor, Caucasus, Crimea, Kopetdag, Western Tian Shan, Gissaro-Alai, Western Pamir [6, 7, 8]; introduced to North America [85]. In Kyrgyzstan - Besh-Aral (Chatkal Range) [69] and Sary-Chelek [7] reserves, northern slopes of the Turkestan and Alai ranges [7], gorge of the Kyrgyz-Ata River [69], northern part of the Fergana Range [52]. Habitats: lower and middle belts of juniper forests, at altitudes of 1200-2300 m above sea level.

Population. Very low [52].

Life cycle (lifecycle). Inhabits heavily weakened, dying, and freshly cut trees of Juniperus semiglobosa Regel, J. turkestanica Kom. and J. seravschanica Kom.; as well as stumps with a diameter of 20-50 cm. Indication of larvae inhabiting poplar wood [6] is erroneous. One generation per year, flight begins in the lower zone of the forest belt in the third decade of June and continues until September, and in the middle zone - from the third decade of July to October; females lay eggs in sunny, windless weather, after noon, mainly on the shaded side of the trunk [69]. Clutches are located at a depth of 10-14 mm and contain 2-3 eggs; larval galleries go in various directions, tightly packed with boring dust, the duration of the embryonic phase is 12-15 days [69, 52].

Limiting factors. Competitors in the ecological niche include xylophagous beetles Semanotus semenovi Okun., Anthaxia conradti Sem., Phloeosinus turkestanicus Sem. [69, 52]. Enemies include insectivorous birds and entomophagous insects. Diseases have not been studied. The reduction in the population of the juniper horntail may occur due to the reduction of the area of juniper stands.

Breeding (keeping in captivity). Not conducted.

Existing conservation measures. No special conservation measures are being taken. Habitats are protected in Sary-Chelek and Besh-Aral reserves and in the Kyrgyz-Ata National Park.

Recommended conservation measures. In juniper plantations of the lower and middle belts, preserve forest areas that contain weakened, dead, wind-fallen, and stone-fallen trees, with trunk diameters of 20-50 cm, in quantities of 3-5 specimens per hectare.

Juniper Horntail
Urocerus sah (Mocsary, 1881)
Status: “Lower Risk - near threatened” (LR-nt - Category III), a naturally rare Ancient-Mediterranean species spread from North-western Africa up to Western Pamir, one of four representatives of the family in Kyrgyzstan; habitats have the tendency of square decreasing. Imagoes occur in season from end of June to October in lower and middle zones of Juniper forest band, at 1,200-2,300 m above sea level, the species is registered in Kyrgyzstan in several sites in Chatkal, Fergana, Turkestan and Alai Mountains. Limiting factors: competitors (xylophagous beetles also inhabiting Juniper timber), natural enemies (entomophagous birds and insects), reducing areas of Juniper forests with dead wood, weakened and wind-fallen trees. At present time habitats are protected in Kyrgyz-Ata National Park, Sary-Chelek and Besh-Aral Nature Reserves. For conservation of this species it is necessary to preserve forest areas with some number of dead, weakened and wind-fallen old Juniper trees.