common sawflies

(Family Tenthredinidae)

Overview
common sawfly (Family Tenthredinidae)
Photo by Alfredo Colon
 

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.

 
           
 
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.

 
  10/11/2022      
         
 
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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.
 
 

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)  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
Tenthredinidae
Mick Talbot
  Tenthredinidae  
 
About

Sawflies

 

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
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

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  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)  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

Binoculars


Created: 12/13/2018

Last Updated:

About Us | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.