Sawflies
Guides
Chalcosyrphus
Leafwalkers
Chalcosyrphus is a genus of hoverflies (family Syrphidae) in the subfamily Eristalinae, commonly known as leafwalkers. Species are notable for mimicking sawflies and other hymenopterans, often displaying bright or metallic coloration. Adults are structurally and behaviorally similar to the related genus Xylota but differ in larval morphology. The genus occurs across Europe, Asia, and North America, with larvae being saproxylic feeders in rotten wood.
Diprion
conifer sawflies, pine sawflies
Diprion is a genus of conifer sawflies in the family Diprionidae, containing at least 12 described species. Species in this genus are significant defoliators of pine forests, with larvae feeding gregariously on pine needles. Outbreaks can cause substantial ecological and economic damage by defoliating thousands of forested acres. Adults are stingless wasps with a saw-like ovipositor used to insert eggs into conifer foliage. The genus includes both native and invasive species, with Diprion similis introduced to North America in 1914.
Dolerini
Dolerini is a tribe of sawflies in the subfamily Selandriinae, comprising two genera: Dolerus Panzer and Prionourgus Goulet. Dolerus, the dominant genus, contains 72 Nearctic species organized into seven subgenera and one species group, while Prionourgus is monotypic. Members are distinguished by structural characters used in cladistic analyses to reconstruct species relationships. The tribe has undergone extensive taxonomic revision, with numerous new species and subgenera described from across the Nearctic region.
Nematinae
nematine sawflies
Nematinae is a large subfamily of sawflies (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) comprising over 1,250 described species across approximately 40 genera. The subfamily exhibits a reversed latitudinal diversity gradient, with species richness peaking in boreal forest zones rather than tropical regions, likely associated with the abundance of willow (Salix) hosts. Nematinae display diverse feeding strategies including external leaf feeding, leaf mining, and gall induction, with larvae utilizing over 20 plant families.
Neurotoma
Neurotoma is a genus of sawflies in the family Pamphiliidae, established by Konow in 1897. The genus contains approximately twelve described species distributed across Europe, Southeastern Asia, and North America. At least one Nearctic species, N. crataegi, has been documented feeding on hawthorn (Crataegus sp.) as larvae. The genus belongs to the suborder Symphyta, representing one of the more species-rich genera within the relatively small family Pamphiliidae.
Tenthredinidae
Common Sawflies
Tenthredinidae is the largest family of sawflies, comprising over 7,500 species in 430 genera worldwide. Adults lack the constricted "wasp waist" typical of many Hymenoptera, instead showing broad connection between thorax and abdomen. Larvae are primarily external feeders on foliage of trees and shrubs, with some species exhibiting leaf-mining, stem-boring, or gall-forming habits. The family is divided into seven subfamilies, with Tenthredininae and Allantinae forming sister groups.
Tetracampidae
Tetracampidae is a small family of parasitic wasps within the superfamily Chalcidoidea, comprising approximately 44 species in 15 genera. These wasps are parasitoids of phytophagous insects, with most known hosts being flies (Diptera), particularly those that mine in plants. Some species also parasitize eggs of sawflies (Diprionidae) and beetles (Chrysomelidae, Cassididae). The family is predominantly distributed in the Old World, with species almost entirely absent from the New World. The biology of most species remains poorly studied.
Zynzus
Zynzus is a genus of sawflies in the family Argidae, established by Smith in 1992. The genus is currently classified as doubtful in GBIF, indicating taxonomic uncertainty regarding its validity or circumscription. As a member of Argidae, it belongs to a family of herbivorous sawflies commonly known as argid sawflies. The genus has minimal documented records, with only 17 observations in iNaturalist.