Sawflies are wasps that lack stingers and look a lot like flies, but larvae are the better mimics.
Female Sawflies have a saw-like organ that helps them place their eggs inside twigs and stems for better protection from the elements and predators. Sawflies look like flies, but they are actually wasps. Fortunately, this type of wasps lacks a stinger. They may be brown, black, black and yellow, or black and red depending on the species.
The larvae of the Sawfly looks very much like a caterpillar. The body shape, colors, and patterns seen on sawfly larvae are also commonly see in butterfly and moth larvae. One way to distinguish between them is by counting the number of prolegs (the back legs). Sawflies have more than 6 sets, while caterpillars have fewer than that. Sawflies never get longer than 25 mm (1 inch), while caterpillars can span the palm of an adult's hand. Recognizing a sawfly larva is useful, especially if it is attacking trees and shrubs. Healthy plants can tolerate sawfly damage, but a large population of sawfly larvae can do serious harm to them.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Diptera
Family:Tenthredinidae
Genus:Tenthredo
Species:spp.
Identifying Information
Scientific Name: Tenthredo spp.
Category:
Fly or Mosquito
Colors: black; red
Descriptors: green caterpillar; wasp; harmless; flying
Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed above as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.
Colors: black; red
