Tenthredinidae
Guides
Periclista
common sawflies
Periclista is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae, subfamily Blennocampinae, comprising at least 20 described species. Larvae are external feeders on oak (Quercus) and hickory (Carya) foliage. The genus is distinguished by larval morphology, particularly the presence of branched dorsal spines. Adults are typical of the family, with a broad connection between thorax and abdomen lacking the constricted waist seen in other Hymenoptera.
Periclista albicollis
Periclista albicollis is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae. The genus Periclista comprises approximately 20 North American species whose larvae feed on oak and hickory. Larvae of Periclista species are distinguished by bifurcate (branched) dorsal processes, which separate them from superficially similar lepidopteran caterpillars. The specific epithet 'albicollis' refers to a white collar marking, though detailed species-level descriptions remain limited in accessible literature.
Periclista major
Periclista major is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, subfamily Blennocampinae. Sawflies are hymenopterans whose larvae superficially resemble lepidopteran caterpillars but possess six or more pairs of prolegs rather than five or fewer. The genus Periclista contains approximately 20 North American species, with larvae typically associated with oak and hickory foliage.
Periclista marginicollis
Periclista marginicollis is a sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae, subfamily Blennocampinae. Larvae are recognized by their green coloration and distinctive bifurcate (branched) dorsal spines. The species has a widespread eastern North American distribution and develops on oak and hickory host plants. Adults are rarely encountered compared to larvae, which feed externally on foliage.
Perineurini
Perineurini is a tribe of sawflies within the family Tenthredinidae. Members of this tribe are small to medium-sized sawflies that feed on various plants. The tribe is not well-studied, and many aspects of their biology remain poorly documented.
Phrontosoma belfragei
Phrontosoma belfragei is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, first described by Cresson in 1880. It is a member of the genus Phrontosoma, a group of hymenopterans within the order Hymenoptera. The species has been recorded from multiple Canadian provinces including Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Ontario. Very little is known about its biology or ecology.
Phymatocerini
Phymatocerini is a small tribe of sawflies within the family Tenthredinidae, comprising approximately 7 genera and 11 described species. Members of this tribe are part of the suborder Symphyta, characterized by a broad connection between the thorax and abdomen rather than the constricted waist seen in most other Hymenoptera. The tribe is taxonomically compact and represents a distinct lineage within the common sawflies.
Priophorus brullei
Priophorus brullei is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae. The species was originally described by Dahlbom in 1835 under the name Priophorus brullei, but is currently classified under the genus Cladius as Cladius brullei, making Priophorus brullei a synonym. It belongs to the order Hymenoptera, which includes ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies.
Pristiphora
Pristiphora is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae. Species within this genus are known for their larval feeding on leaves of various plants, with some species causing significant economic damage to trees and shrubs. The genus includes notable pests such as the larch sawfly (Pristiphora erichsonii), which defoliates tamarack and other larch species. Adults are small, dark-colored wasp-like insects with two pairs of wings.
Pristiphora abbreviata
Pear Tree Sawyer
Pristiphora abbreviata is a sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae, commonly known as the Pear Tree Sawyer. Sawflies are primitive wasps in the suborder Symphyta, distinguished from higher wasps by the absence of a narrow waist between thorax and abdomen. Females possess a saw-like ovipositor used to insert eggs into plant tissue. The species has been documented in Canada (British Columbia, Ontario), Denmark, and Norway.
Pristiphora appendiculata
Small Gooseberry Sawyer
Pristiphora appendiculata is a sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, commonly known as the Small Gooseberry Sawyer. The species is native to Europe and has been introduced to North America, where it is now established across much of Canada and the northern United States. As a member of the subfamily Nematinae, it belongs to a group of sawflies often associated with feeding on woody plants in the order Rosales. The specific epithet 'appendiculata' refers to small appendages, likely describing a morphological feature of the species.
Pristiphora banksi
Pristiphora banksi is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, subfamily Nematinae. As a member of the genus Pristiphora, it belongs to a diverse group of sawflies commonly associated with various tree and shrub hosts. The species is documented in entomological records but specific biological details remain limited in available literature. Sawflies in this genus are typically herbivorous, with larvae feeding on leaves of their host plants.
Pristiphora bivittata
Pristiphora bivittata is a sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae, order Hymenoptera. The species was described by Norton in 1861. It is known from multiple Canadian provinces including British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Records indicate it has been observed at least six times on iNaturalist. Beyond basic taxonomic and distribution data, detailed biological information for this species remains limited in available sources.
Pristiphora geniculata
mountain ash sawfly, rowan leaf sawfly, Ebereschen-Blattwespe
Pristiphora geniculata is a sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae, native to the Palaearctic region and introduced to North America. It is a specialized herbivore of Sorbus species, particularly mountain ash (rowan). The species exhibits facultative parthenogenesis and shows pronounced sexual dimorphism in larval development, with females having five instars compared to four in males. In eastern Canada, it typically produces two generations annually, though only one in northern Quebec and at higher elevations in Europe. The species has been the target of successful classical biological control programs using the parasitoid wasp Olesicampe geniculatae.
Pristiphora mollis
Gentle Bilberry Sawyer
Pristiphora mollis is a Holarctic sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae, commonly known as the Gentle Bilberry Sawyer. The species occurs across northern regions of both North America and Eurasia, with documented records in Canada and the United Kingdom. Like other members of the genus Pristiphora, it is associated with woody plants, though specific host relationships require further documentation.
Pristiphora serrula
Pristiphora serrula is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, subfamily Nematinae. As a member of the genus Pristiphora, it belongs to a group of sawflies commonly associated with feeding on various woody plants. The genus Pristiphora includes numerous species that are significant defoliators of trees and shrubs, with larvae typically feeding externally on leaves. Specific biological details for P. serrula are limited in the available literature.
Pristiphora siskiyouensis
Pristiphora siskiyouensis is a sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae, first described by Marlatt in 1896. The species is part of a genus containing numerous sawfly species, many of which are associated with coniferous hosts. Like other Pristiphora species, it likely exhibits the typical sawfly life cycle with larvae feeding on plant foliage. The specific epithet "siskiyouensis" suggests a connection to the Siskiyou Mountains region of the Pacific Northwest.
Profenusa alumna
red oak leaf-mining sawfly
Profenusa alumna is a leaf-mining sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae. It is univoltine, completing one generation per year. Larvae feed as leaf miners within red oak leaves, creating blotch mines. The species is closely associated with red oak (Quercus rubra) in forested habitats. Pupation occurs in soil.
Profenusa canadensis
Hawthorn Leaf-miner Sawfly
A sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae, commonly known as the Hawthorn Leaf-miner Sawfly. The species is associated with hawthorn (Crataegus) as a host plant, with larvae creating blotch mines in leaves. It occurs in North America, with observations spanning multiple regions.
Prolatus
Prolatus is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae. The genus is part of the diverse Hymenoptera order, which includes wasps, bees, and ants. Information on species-level diversity and biology within Prolatus remains limited in available sources.
Prolatus artus
Prolatus artus is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, described by Smith in 1967. As a member of the Hymenoptera, it lacks the narrow waist characteristic of wasps, bees, and ants. Sawflies in this family are herbivorous and their larvae typically feed on plant foliage. The species is recognized as a valid taxon in current databases, though detailed biological information remains limited.
Pseudodineura
Pseudodineura is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae. The genus contains approximately eight described species distributed across Europe and North America. Larvae of all species are leaf-miners in plants of the family Ranunculaceae. Some species are difficult to distinguish based on morphological characters alone, though each species appears to have a distinct COI barcode sequence.
Pseudodineurini
Pseudodineurini is a tribe of sawflies within the family Tenthredinidae. Members are small, leaf-mining sawflies whose larvae create distinctive mines in leaves of various plants. The tribe includes the genus Pseudodineura, which contains multiple species distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. Adults are generally inconspicuous and seldom encountered compared to their more frequently observed larval mines.
Rhadinoceraea
iris sawfly
Rhadinoceraea is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae, tribe Phymatocerini. Species in this genus are herbivorous and exhibit specialized host associations with plants in the orders Liliales and Ranunculales. Some species are notable for sequestering defensive compounds from their host plants. The genus includes recognized species such as R. micans, a garden pest of irises, and R. nodicornis, which feeds on Veratrum and shows strict innate host specificity.
Rhadinoceraea aldrichi
Rhadinoceraea aldrichi is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, described by MacGillivray in 1923. The genus Rhadinoceraea comprises small, slender sawflies, though species-level diagnostic features for R. aldrichi remain poorly documented in accessible literature. Distribution records indicate occurrence in western Canada, specifically Alberta and British Columbia.
Rhadinoceraea nubilipennis
Rhadinoceraea nubilipennis is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae. The species is known from limited observations, with 11 records documented on iNaturalist. It belongs to a genus of sawflies whose larvae are typically associated with aquatic or semi-aquatic plants.
Rhogogaster lateraria
Rhogogaster lateraria is a sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae, originally described from North America by Cresson in 1880. It belongs to a genus of relatively large, often brightly colored sawflies commonly known as green sawflies. The species is documented from western Canada, with records from Alberta and British Columbia. Like other members of its genus, it likely exhibits the characteristic sawfly morphology with a broad connection between thorax and abdomen, lacking the narrow waist typical of many other Hymenoptera.
Sciapterygini
Sciapterygini is a tribe of sawflies within the family Tenthredinidae, subfamily Allantinae. Members are characterized by distinctive wing venation patterns and are associated with specific host plants. The tribe includes the genus Sciapteryx, which is the primary representative. These sawflies are part of the diverse Hymenoptera fauna that play roles in plant-herbivore interactions.
Setabara
Setabara is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae, subfamily Heterarthrinae. The genus contains leaf-mining species, with Setabara histrionica being the best-studied member. Larvae feed internally within leaves of Prunus species, creating distinctive mines. The genus was established by Ross in 1951.
Stethomostus fuliginosus
Smoky Buttercup Sawfly
Stethomostus fuliginosus is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, commonly known as the Smoky Buttercup Sawfly. It is a member of the suborder Symphyta, distinguished from other Hymenoptera by the broad connection between its thorax and abdomen. The species has been documented in parts of Europe and North America.
Strongylogaster
Strongylogaster is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae. Members are found in Europe and North America. The genus contains multiple species, though many remain poorly documented. Sawflies in this group are phytophagous as larvae.
Strongylogaster polita
Strongylogaster polita is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae. Sawflies in this genus are characterized by their distinctive morphology and life history traits typical of the subfamily. The genus Strongylogaster contains multiple species distributed across various regions, with adults generally active during warmer months. Specific biological details for S. polita remain poorly documented in available literature.
Taxonus
Taxonus is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae, subfamily Allantinae. It is recognized as the largest and most complicated genus within the Allantinae. The genus contains approximately 8 described species, with additional species described from Asia. Taxonus is placed in the tribe Allantini and forms the subtribe Taxonina, which is sister to the subtribe Allantina.
Taxonus pallipes
Taxonus pallipes is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1823. It belongs to a genus of sawflies whose larvae feed on various plant hosts. The species is recorded from eastern Canada, specifically Ontario and Quebec. Like other members of Tenthredinidae, adults are wasp-like in appearance but lack the constricted waist characteristic of true wasps.
Taxonus spiculatus
Taxonus spiculatus is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae. It belongs to the order Hymenoptera, which includes ants, bees, and wasps, though sawflies are distinguished by their lack of the narrow "wasp waist" characteristic of other Hymenoptera. The genus Taxonus contains multiple species, but specific information about T. spiculatus is limited in available sources.
Taxonus terminalis
White-tipped Sawfly
Taxonus terminalis is a species of common sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1824. It is known from multiple Canadian provinces including Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario. The species has been recorded in iNaturalist with 69 observations and is referred to by the common name 'White-tipped Sawfly'.
Tenthredo basilaris
Tenthredo basilaris is a sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae. Sawflies in this genus lack the narrow "wasp waist" characteristic of many other Hymenoptera, with the abdomen broadly attached to the thorax. Adults are often observed on flowers and consume both plant material and small insects. The species is part of a diverse genus containing approximately 118 species in the United States and Canada.
Tenthredo fernaldii
Tenthredo fernaldii is a species of common sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae. Like other members of the genus, it lacks the narrow 'wasp waist' characteristic of many Hymenoptera, with the abdomen attached broadly to the thorax. Adults are active in late summer and early autumn, and may be encountered on flowers or foliage. The species has been documented from the southwestern United States, with observations from Arizona.
Tenthredo grandis
Tenthredo grandis is a sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae. Unlike typical wasps, sawflies lack a narrow "wasp waist," with the abdomen broadly attached to the thorax. The larvae are herbivorous rather than carnivorous, feeding on turtlehead plants (Chelone spp.) during midsummer. Adults are often observed on flowers and consume smaller insects as well as pollen and nectar. The species exhibits mimicry of stinging wasps despite females lacking a functional stinger.
Tenthredo leucostoma
Tenthredo leucostoma is a sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae. Like other members of the genus Tenthredo, adults lack the narrow "wasp waist" characteristic of many Hymenoptera, with the abdomen broadly attached to the thorax. Females possess a saw-like ovipositor used to insert eggs into plant tissues. The species has been recorded in Canada, specifically from Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
Tenthredo maxima
Tenthredo maxima is a sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae, characterized by a broad connection between thorax and abdomen lacking the narrow 'wasp waist' of other Hymenoptera. The species comprises two recognized subspecies: T. m. maxima and T. m. retura (formerly T. retura). It occupies a unique phylogenetic position within the genus, forming its own species group with no close relatives in North America. The species has been extensively studied for its geographic variation across western North American mountain systems.
Tenthredo verticalis
Tenthredo verticalis is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae. Sawflies in this genus lack the narrow 'wasp waist' characteristic of many other Hymenoptera, with the abdomen broadly attached to the thorax. Adults are often observed on flowers and have been recorded feeding on pollen, nectar, and smaller insects. The genus Tenthredo includes approximately 118 species in the United States and Canada.
Tethida
Tethida is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae, established by Ross in 1937. The genus contains at least one described species, Tethida barda. As a member of the suborder Symphyta, these insects lack the constricted 'wasp waist' characteristic of many other Hymenoptera.
Tethida barda
Black-headed Ash Sawfly
Tethida barda is a sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae, commonly known as the Black-headed Ash Sawfly. The species is associated with ash trees (Fraxinus species) as a host plant. It is found across eastern and central Canada and the northeastern United States. The larvae feed on ash foliage and can occasionally cause noticeable defoliation.
Thrinax dubitata
Thrinax dubitata is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, originally described as Hemitaxonus dubitatus by Norton in 1862. It is one of approximately 40 species in the genus Thrinax, a group of small to medium-sized sawflies primarily distributed in the Holarctic region. The species is recorded from eastern and central Canada, with observations spanning Manitoba to the Atlantic provinces. As with most Tenthredinidae, adults are likely herbivorous or nectar-feeding, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Tomostethus
ash sawflies
Tomostethus is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae, first described by Konow in 1886. Species within this genus are associated with ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) and are recognized as pests of economic and ecological significance. The genus includes species such as T. nigritus, T. multicinctus, and T. sinofraxini, which have been documented across Europe and Asia. Several species have shown capacity for population outbreaks, particularly in urban environments.
Trichiocampus
Trichiocampus is a genus of sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae. The genus includes species associated with poplar trees (Populus spp.), with at least one species, T. viminalis, known to cause significant defoliation during population outbreaks. Members occur across a broad circumpolar distribution spanning Europe and northern North America.
Trichiocampus grandis
Trichiocampus grandis is a sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae. It is currently recognized as a synonym of Cladius grandis, though the exact taxonomic status remains subject to nomenclatural revision. The species was originally described by Serville in 1823. Distribution records indicate presence in Belgium and Canada, specifically British Columbia.
Waldheimia carbonaria
Waldheimia carbonaria is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, first described by Cresson in 1880. It is a member of the suborder Symphyta, the group of Hymenoptera that includes sawflies and horntails, which lack the narrow waist characteristic of wasps, bees, and ants. The genus Waldheimia contains relatively few species, and W. carbonaria is among the better-documented members of this genus in North America. Like other Tenthredinidae, the larvae are likely herbivorous, though specific host plant associations remain poorly documented.
Waldheimia vitis
Waldheimia vitis is a sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae, first described by Harris in 1841. As a member of the suborder Symphyta (sawflies), it lacks the constricted waist characteristic of wasps and bees in the suborder Apocrita. The species epithet 'vitis' suggests a potential association with grape plants (Vitis spp.), though specific host relationships remain poorly documented. Sawflies in this family are typically phytophagous, with larvae feeding on plant foliage.