Dolerus apricus

As a sawfly larva, Dolerus apricus has six or more pairs of prolegs, distinguishing it from Lepidoptera caterpillars which have five or fewer pairs. An illustrated key to the larvae of eight Nearctic Dolerus species was provided in the original description, though specific diagnostic features for D. apricus are not detailed in the available sources.

Associated with Equisetum arvense (field horsetail) in the Ottawa region.

Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick; specifically documented from the Ottawa region.

Equisetum arvense (field horsetail).

• Equisetum arvense - larval host plantField horsetail; adults collected on this plant in the Ottawa region

Adults captured on Equisetum arvense in the field; larvae reared from these adults. Specific details of the life cycle for this species are not separately documented from the general Dolerus spp. pattern described in the source material.

• Dolerus haematodesCongeneric sawfly species with similar larval morphology; both have six or more pairs of prolegs distinguishing them from Lepidoptera caterpillars.
• Other Equisetum-feeding Dolerus speciesD. apricus is one of six Equisetum-feeding Dolerus species from the Ottawa region described in the same study (including D. aprilis, D. tibialis conjugates, D. gilvipes albifrons, D. acidus, and D. subfasciatus); these species share the same host plant and geographic origin.
• Lepidoptera caterpillarsSawfly larvae are frequently mistaken for caterpillars; Dolerus apricus larvae can be distinguished by having six or more pairs of prolegs versus five or fewer in Lepidoptera.

• BugGuide
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Dolerus haematodes sawfly larva and Schinia oleagina larva - Entomology Today
• Catch a Glimpse of Caterpillars During National Moth Week
• DESCRIPTIONS OF LARVAE OF EIGHT NEARCTIC SPECIES OF DOLERUS (HYMENOPTERA: TENTHREDINIDAE) WITH FOCUS ON SIX EQUISETUM- FEEDING SPECIES FROM THE OTTAWA REGION