Sawflies are related to bees and wasps and belong to the order Hymenoptera.Like caterpillars, sawfly larvae usually feed on plant foliage, but unlike most caterpillars sawfly larvae can quickly destroy a rose garden or defoliate an entire tree. Similarly the dogwood sawfly larvae that eat entire leaves from gray and red osier dogwood plants in late summer will be found only on dogwood shrubs. Dogwood sawfly, Macremphytus tarsatus, has been found on shrubby dogwood species on campus.While this pest looks like a caterpillar, it is actually the larval stage of a wasp-like Hymenoptera species.. Dogwood Sawflies. Howard Holt says: August 11, 2013 at 2:04 pm. For many species the most useful way to determine whether a caterpillar is a sawfly is to count the legs. It also eats like a caterpillar, feeding on the leaves of dogwood trees. The dogwood sawfly, Macremphytus sp., is an interesting sawfly because the second larval instar (stage in the larval development between molts) is covered in a white waxy covering and the last larval instar is yellow and black. They change color pattern several times during their development. Sawfly larvae come in a fascinating variety of shapes, colours and sizes – most ranging from 10-40mm in length. August 4, ... As I was doing research, I was a little shocked to discover that this is actual the larval stage of a Dogwood Sawfly (Macremphytus tarsatus), a wasp-like insect. Dogwood sawfly Macremphytus tarsatus Order Hymenoptera, Family Tenthredinidae; common sawflies Native pest Host plants: Dogwood, particularly gray and redosier Description: Adult sawflies are wasplike. Sawfly larvae formed 43% of the diet of chestnut-backed chickadees (Poecile rufescens). Dogwood Sawfly larva. Sawfly larvae look similar to caterpillars but are an entirely different kind of insect. Newly hatched larvae look like small caterpillars; they are amber in color and are somewhat transparent. Dogwood Sawfly, Macremphytus tarsatus, is another native species which feeds on a variety of ornamental and native dogwood trees and shrubs (Cornus spp.). 5 Responses to Dogwood Sawfly Larvae. Sawfly larvae come in a fascinating variety of shapes, colours and sizes – most ranging from 10-40mm in length. You can find sawflies in the garden or in the wild. The larvae go through a number of different phases of development and this looks to … This group of sawfly larvae usually feeds only on the leaf surface, leaving a skeleton of leaf veins where they feed. You’ll often find them crawling around on leaves, especially on the edge. Black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) chicks show a strong preference for sawfly larvae. The larvae emerge from their second molt covered with a white powdery material. Handpicking may be the only control measure you need to control light infestations. The dogwood sawfly (Macremphytus tarsatus) can be a serious pest in dogwoods if populations are allowed to expand. It was quite small and was in motion, so getting a photo was somewhat of a challenge. Sawfly and moth larvae form one third of the diet of nestling corn buntings (Emberiza calandra), with sawfly larvae being eaten more frequently on cool days. Sawfly larvae have three pairs of true legs, followed by seven or eight pairs of fleshy, false legs. After the second molt, larvae become covered in a white powdery sub-stance. Because there are many species, they thrive almost anywhere and affects a wide array of plants. These larvae are just appearing on the many Gray dogwoods we have in our woods in one location right behind our shed. Speaking of wormy-like pests, we discovered an infestation of sawfly larvas—those fuzzy white crawlies that look like caterpillars—on our red twig dogwood bush. However, dogwood sawfly (M. testaceus) larvae are the true chameleons. Encouraging parasitic wasps in the garden is also a good idea. However, dogwood sawfly (M. testaceus) larvae are the true chameleons. The sawfly larvae may be confused with caterpillar and moth larvae, as they all look like worms crawling around on the leaves and stems of plants.