common sawflies

(Family Tenthredinidae)

Overview

Tenthredinidae, called common sawflies, is the largest family of sawflies. There are over 7,500 species worldwide, more than 900 species in North America north of Mexico, and at least 21 species in Minnesota. They are common and widespread, occurring on every continent except Antarctica. Most feed externally on plant leaves, some produce galls, and some create mines in the leaves. A few are serious pests of cultivated plants and forest trees.

 
common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
Photo by Alfredo Colon
 
Description

Adults are 3 16 to ¾ (5 to 20 mm) in length. The thorax and abdomen are broadly connected, not slender and waist-like. There is a clear separation between the last exoskeletal plate on the side of the thorax (metapleuron) and the first plate on the abdomen. The antennae are thread-like have 5 to 9, usually 9 segments beyond the scape and pedicel at the base. The larvae look like small caterpillars but have 6 or more pairs of prolegs. With rare exceptions, caterpillars have only 3 to 5 pairs. Caterpillars also have tiny hook-like hairs (crochets) at the end of each proleg. Sawfly larvae do not.

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

7, 24, 27, 29, 30, 82.

10/4/2024    
Taxonomy

Order

Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies)

Suborder

Symphyta (sawflies, horntails, and wood wasps)

Superfamily

Tenthredinoidea (typical sawflies)

   

Subordinate Taxa

Subfamily Allantinae

Subfamily Athaliinae

Subfamily Blennocampinae

Subfamily Heterarthrinae

Subfamily Nematinae

Subfamily Selandriinae

Subfamily Tenthredininae

   

Synonyms

 

   

Common Names

common sawflies

tenthredinid sawflies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Alfredo Colon

common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)   common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
     
common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)   common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
     
common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)   common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
     
common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)   common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
     
common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)   common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
     
common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)   common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
     
common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)   common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
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Slideshows

Tenthredinidae
Mick Talbot

Tenthredinidae
About

Sawflies

 

slideshow

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Other Videos

Common Sawfly (Tenthredinidae: Tenthredo?) on Leaf
Carl Barrentine

About

Published on Jun 24, 2012

Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (24 June 2012).

 

Camcorder

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Alfredo Colon
7/7/2024

Location: Albany, NY

common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)

Alfredo Colon
6/11/2024

Location: Albany, NY

common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
Alfredo Colon
8/11/2022

Location: Albany, NY

common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
Alfredo Colon
8/9/2019

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
Alfredo Colon
Summer 2018

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
Alfredo Colon
7/28/2018

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
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Created: 12/13/2018

Last Updated:

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