Sap-feeding-adults
Guides
Cimbex
Elm sawflies, Birch sawflies, Almond leaf wasps
Cimbex is a genus of large, robust sawflies in the family Cimbicidae, distributed across North America, Europe, and Asia. Adults are among the largest sawflies, with body lengths reaching 20-25 mm, and are frequently mistaken for bees or wasps due to their plump appearance and yellow-and-black coloration. The genus includes notable species such as C. americanus (elm sawfly), C. femoratus (birch sawfly), and C. quadrimaculatus (almond leaf wasp), some of which are significant defoliators of trees. Larvae are caterpillar-like, with seven pairs of prolegs distinguishing them from lepidopteran caterpillars, and possess chemical defense glands. The genus has a fossil record extending from the Eocene to the Miocene.