Sawflies

Sawflies (Tenthredinidae & related families)

Sawflies are non-stinging relatives of wasps whose larvae closely resemble caterpillars and feed on the foliage of a wide range of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants including rose, pine, and willow. Some species skeletonize leaves while others consume entire leaf blades, and gregarious species can defoliate branches rapidly when populations are high. Unlike true caterpillars, they have more than five pairs of prolegs, which helps distinguish them in the field. Targeted insecticide applications during early larval feeding stages provide effective control.