Xyelid-sawflies
Guides
Xyela
pine catkin sawflies, pine shoot gall sawflies
Xyela is a genus of primitive sawflies in the family Xyelidae, established in 1819. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution with approximately 50 described species, including both extant and fossil taxa. Most species are associated with Pinus (pine) as larval hosts, developing inside staminate cones; one species, X. gallicaulis, forms shoot galls instead. Adults are early spring fliers often found on Salix or Alnus catkins near host pines.