Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Order
HYMENOPTERA
(ants, bees, sawflies and wasps)
Family
PAMPHILIIDAE
931
A small group of primitive, fast-flying, flattened, broad-
bodied sawflies; antennae long and thin, with 18-24
segments. Larvae lack abdominal prolegs, and are often
gregarious and web-forming.
Neurotoma saltuum
(Linnaeus) (
931
)
syn.
N. flaviventris
(Retzius)
Social pear sawfly
Although mainly a pest of pear fruit trees, infestations
of this widespread but local, southerly-distributed pest
occur on various other rosaceous plants, including
ornamentals such as
Cotoneaster
, flowering cherry
(
Prunus
), hawthorn (
Crataegus
) and medlar (
Mespilus
germanica
). The unmistakable larvae feed in communal
webs in June and July, rapidly stripping the branches of
foliage; fully fed individuals are 20-25 mm long,
yellowish orange, with a shiny black head and a pair of
prominent anal cerci. They overwinter in the soil and
pupate in the spring. Adults appear in May and June.
931
Larva of social pear sawfly
(Neurotoma saltuum)
.
932
Pamphilius varius
(Lepeletier) (
932
)
A minor pest of birch (
Betula
). The solitary, green-bodied
larvae (
c.
20 mm long), which have very small thoracic
legs and no abdominal prolegs, each inhabit a rolled leaf.
They are sometimes present on young trees during the
summer, and cause minor damage to the foliage. Fully
grown individuals overwinter in the soil and pupate in the
spring. The stout-bodied adults appear in May and June.
Species of
Pamphilius
are also associated with other
hosts, including aspen (
Populus tremula
), common
sallow (
Salix atrocinerea
), oak (
Quercus
) and rose (
Rosa
).
932
Larva of
Pamphilius varius
.
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