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Tenthredinidae

Pronunciation:  [Ten·thrë·DIN·i·dee]

Common Name:   Common Sawflies

Description:  The common sawflies are “broad-waisted” wasps whose larvae feed on the foliage of trees and shrubs.  Females are equipped with a saw-toothed ovipositor that allows them to cut slits into the bark of twigs where their eggs are laid (hence the name “sawfly”).  Adults usually have filiform antennae with 7-10 segments.   Larvae resemble lepidopteran caterpillars but have more than five pairs of abdominal prolegs.

tenthredinid05

Spot ID Key Characters:

  1. Antennae filiform with 7-10 segments
  2. Tibia of front leg with two apical spurs
  3. Broad junction between thorax and abdomen

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Order:  Hymenoptera