Conifer sawflies

Definition

A common name for sawflies of the family Diprionidae (Hymenoptera: Symphyta), whose larvae feed on the needles of coniferous trees. Adults are relatively stout-bodied, often with serrated or pectinate antennae in males, and lack the narrow wasp waist of Apocrita. Larvae are gregarious external feeders that can cause significant defoliation of pine, spruce, and fir, occasionally leading to outbreaks in managed forests and plantations. Unlike true flies, they retain two pairs of wings and possess a saw-like ovipositor for inserting eggs into needle tissue.

Etymology

From Latin 'conifer' (cone-bearing, referring to host plants) + 'sawfly' (referring to the saw-like ovipositor characteristic of the suborder Symphyta)

Example

Outbreaks of the common pine sawfly (Diprion pini) in European Scots pine stands can strip trees of needles, with larvae dropping to the forest floor to pupate in soil or moss.

Synonyms

• Diprionidae

Related Terms

• sawfly
• Symphyta
• Diprion pini
• Gilpinia
• conifer defoliator
• gregarious feeding
• ovipositor
• forest pest

Usage Notes

Sometimes used more broadly to include other conifer-feeding sawfly families (e.g., some Argidae or Tenthredinidae), but properly restricted to Diprionidae. Distinguished from woodwasps (Siricidae) and other conifer-associated Hymenoptera by larval feeding habit and adult morphology. The family is sometimes called 'conifer sawflies' in European literature, while North American sources may use 'pine sawflies' for Diprioninae specifically.