Sawflies (Hymenoptera, Symphyta)


Sawflies are wasp-like insects that are in the suborder Symphyta within the order Hymenoptera, alongside ants, bees, and wasps. The common name comes from the saw-like appearance of the ovipositor, which the females use to cut into the plants where they lay their eggs. 

The primary distinction between sawflies and the Apocrita (ants, bees, and wasps) is that the adults lack a "wasp waist", and instead have a broad connection between the abdomen and the thorax.

References


Sawflies (Hymenoptera, Symphyta)

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Discussion

Jimbobo wrote:
Yesterday
Female guarding her clutch of larvae. What was the host plant species?

Pseudoperga guerinii
Jimbobo wrote:
Yesterday
A late stage larvae of Pseudoperga species is one of the possibles. But may also be Pergagrapta larvae. Unfortunately we can't usually identify the larvae to species level and in most cases even to a genus, without rearing through to adults. More research is needed in this area. There is about 60 species in subfamily Perginae and no definitive and detailed study of early life stages.

Perginae sp. (subfamily)
Jimbobo wrote:
Yesterday
A Perga species is one of the possibles. Unfortunately we can't usually identify the larvae to species level and in most cases even to a genus, without rearing through to adults. More research is needed in this area. There is about 60 species in subfamily Perginae and no definitive and detailed study of early life stages.

Perga sp. (genus)
Jimbobo wrote:
Yesterday
Pseudoperga is likely based on behaviour and morphology but other options cannot be ruled out. So subfamily is best level. They do look like early stage larvae that I've seen with females guarding.

Pseudoperga sp. (genus)
Jimbobo wrote:
Yesterday
A Pseudoperga species is one of the possibles. Unfortunately we can't usually identify the larvae to species level and in most cases even to a genus, without rearing through to adults. More research is needed in this area. There is about 60 species in subfamily Perginae and no definitive or detailed study of early life stages.

Interesting that Carbon AI behaves like iNats Computer Vision often does and lumps larvae into a particular direction. No doubt trained by previous human made assumptions or errors.

Pseudoperga sp. (genus)
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