The following may help in the identification of a sawfly leaf miner, once the foodplant is determined and the mine and larva examined: They have different ways of feeding: Pseudodineurini feed with the dorsal side towards the upper side of the leaf and they are able to leave the leaf and make a new mine. Letters encircled refer to names of cells ; the rest are veins except for the folds : j.j., jugal The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. The larvae reach 25mm in length are a dirty green colour with a black lateral stripe and a black head. Sawflies are members of the same insect order (Hymenoptera) that includes ants, bees, and wasps. The large rose sawfly (Arge pagana) will produce two (sometimes three) generations from May to October. A sawfly is a primitive wasp-like insect. I’ve found that early identification is the best way to manage this pest. Different species of sawflies feed on different plants. Conifer sawflies, for instance, are found in coniferous trees, such as pine and spruce. University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place. Each sawfly species may have a number of different plant species it will attack, and several different species may attack the same plant. Those that belong to the Argidae family are common in birch, oak, elm, and rose bushes. The Large Rose Sawfly is a common species all over Britain, although most records come from the south of England. The adult is carnivorous, feeding on the larvae of other insects, while its larvae is vegetarian, feeding on the leaves of a wide range of plants including, salix (on which these images were taken), alder, poplar, buttercups, etc. The adult sawflies can measure up to 2cm (¾in) long, but most are around 6-10mm (¼-½in). Some species change significantly in appearance as they grow, making identification confusing. In fact, the rose slug sawfly is aptly named just because it eats up rose bushes. Sawfly larvae have three pairs of true legs, followed by seven or eight pairs of fleshy, false legs. Handpicking may be the only control measure you need to control light infestations. Sawfly larvae are so tiny that they you will see the damage they create before you actually see the culprit. In mid to late spring, check your rose leaves and buds for tiny holes indicating that the larvae are present. This Sawfly, slightly larger than a Common House Fly, is common and widely distributed throughout Europe. Caterpillars have five or fewer pairs of false legs that are armed with tiny hooks. Identifying Sawfly’s Damage Plants Affected. The females have a saw-like blade at the tip of the abdomen that is used to cut slits into plant tissue into which they deposit eggs. Sawfly larvae on roses (rose slugs) Rose slugs will eat up roses like crazy. FIG.l6.-Generalized sawfly wing to show Ross's interpretation of the venation. The sawfly larvae LOOK like caterpillars to the uneducated eye but they are not. They generally have black or dark coloured bodies. A sawfly is a primitive wasp-like insect. This particular post has short stiff hairs with green bodies and dark heads. VC55 Status Common in Leicestershire and Rutland. Fox-coloured sawfly (Neodiprion sertifer) is 7-9mm long and pale orange-brown. The larval stage has a caterpillar-like body that may be brightly marked with stripes or spots. Adult pine sawfly (Diprion pini) are 10mm long brown winged insects, The larvae reach up to 25mm long and are pale green in colour with a brown head and black markings. Sawflies and their larvae tend to be a popular pest for roses.