common sawflies

Periclista is a species rich genus of diverse sawflies in the subfamily Blennocampinae. It occurs throughout the Northern Hemisphere as well as in Chile and southern Argentina. In North America it occurs in the United States and southern Canada east of the Great Plains, and in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains. There are 65 described Periclista species in 2 subgenera worldwide, 26 species in 2 subgenera in North America north of Mexico, and at least 1 species in Minnesota.

All of the larvae of Periclista species in North America feed on the leaves of oak except for Periclista marginicollis, which feeds on the leaves of hickory.

Females lay eggs on fairly mature leaf buds. Mature larvae drop to the ground and burrow into the soil, where they overwinter. Adults emerge in the spring.

Periclista are small sawflies.

The antennae are short and stout. The second segment (pedicel) is about as wide as long, and the third segment is distinctly longer than the fourth. Behind each compound eye there is a groove (postocular furrow), but it is narrow, shallow, and indistinct. It is not pitted (punctate).

On each side of the thorax, the largest plate (mesopleuron) has only faint punctures. There is no smaller plate (prepectus) in front of the mesopleuron.

On the forewing, the intersection of the media (M) and radius-media (Rs+M) veins is at or slightly before the intersection of the Rs+M and subcosta-raduis (Sc+R) veins. Anal veins 2A and 3A are curved at the end. Males have a peripheral vein on the hindwing.

The last part of each leg (tarsus), corresponding to the foot, has five segments. Each segment has soft pads (pulvilli). The pulvilli on the first and second segments are well developed. The last tarsal segment has a pair of claws at the tip. Each claw has a long inner tooth.

The larvae are translucent green and have several rows of branched bristles.

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82, 83.

No species in this genus has a common name, nor does the genus itself. The common name for the family Tenthredinidae is common sawflies, and it is applied here for convenience.

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota