Syntexis libocedrii

{{Short description|Species of sawfly}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Syntexis libocedrii.jpg

| image_caption = Adult female from Oregon

| genus = Syntexis

| species = libocedrii

| authority = Rohwer, 1915

| display_parents = 4

}}

Syntexis libocedrii, (also called the cedar wood wasp or incense-cedar wood wasp) is the only living species in the wood wasp family Anaxyelidae, within the Symphyta, though the family has an extensive Mesozoic fossil record. This species is thus a "living fossil". It has the remarkable behavior of greatly favoring ovipositing in recently burnt incense-cedar (Calocedrus), red cedar (Thuja) or juniper (Juniperus). The wood is often still smoldering while the wasp is laying its eggs, and the larvae develop in the wood.{{cite conference | first =N.M. | last =Schiff | title =Insects associated with forest fires in Northern California and Oregon | book-title =Entomological Society of America meeting | date =December 2000 | location =Montreal }} S. libocedrii occurs from the mountains of central California to southern British Columbia, but is very rarely seen, except by firefighters.